Accessing a communication channel using disparate communication systems

ABSTRACT

Some embodiments of this disclosure include apparatuses and methods for accessing a communication frequency channel by a first communication system during a first time interval, and accessing the communication frequency channel by a second communication system during a second time interval adjacent to the first time interval. The first communication system communicates using cellular communication techniques, and the second communication system communicates using IEEE 802.11 based communication techniques.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S.Provisional Application No. 62/788,552, filed Jan. 4, 2019, which ishereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to wireless communications, andmore specifically, to vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communications.

SUMMARY

Aspects and advantages of embodiments of the present disclosure will beset forth in part in the following description, or may be learned fromthe description, or may be learned through practice of the embodiments.Example aspects of the disclosure describe minimum-invasive methods forco-channel coexistence of the two existing V2X technologies ITS-G5/DSRCand LTE-V2X. More particularly, example aspects of the disclosuredescribe assignment of time-slots for the various technologies andprovides suitable means on how to make these time-slots known to bothdistinct technologies (ITS-G5/DSRC and LTE-V2X).

One example aspect of the present disclosure is directed to an apparatusfor providing vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communications. The apparatusincludes a first communication system configured to access acommunication frequency channel during a first time interval. Theapparatus further includes a second communication system configured toaccess the communication frequency channel during a second time intervaladjacent to the first time interval. The first communication system isconfigured to communicate using cellular communication techniques, andthe second communication system is configured to communicate using IEEE802.11 based communication techniques.

Other aspects of the present disclosure are directed to methods,systems, apparatus, tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media,user interfaces and devices for providing vehicle-to-everything (V2X)communications on a shared communication channel.

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of various embodimentswill become better understood with reference to the followingdescription and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which areincorporated in, and constitute part of, this specification, illustrateembodiments of the present disclosure and, together with thedescription, serve to explain the related principles.

This Summary is provided merely for purposes of reviewing some exemplaryembodiments, so as to provide a basic understanding of some aspects ofthe subject matter described herein. Accordingly, it will be appreciatedthat the above-described features are merely examples and should not beconstrued to narrow the scope or spirit of the subject matter describedherein in any way. Other features, aspects, and advantages of thesubject matter described herein will become apparent from the followingDetailed Description, Figures, and Claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Detailed discussion of embodiments directed to one of ordinary skill inthe art is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to theappended figures, in which:

FIG. 1 depicts a diagram of intelligent transportation systems (ITS)spectrum allocation in Europe.

FIG. 2 depicts diagram of channel access techniques for LTE C-V2X andITS-G5/DSRC communications.

FIG. 3 depicts a diagram of an example technique for technologyallocations of LTE C-V2X and ITS-G5/DSRC communication techniques on ashared communication channel according to embodiments.

FIG. 4 depicts a diagram of an example technique for technologyallocations of LTE C-V2X and ITS-G5/DSRC communication techniques on ashared communication channel according to embodiments.

FIG. 5 depicts a diagram of an example channel access countdowntechnique for ITS-G5/DSRC for the coexistence of LTE C-V2X andITS-G5/DSRC communication techniques on a shared communication channelaccording to embodiments.

FIG. 6 depicts a diagram of an example frame-carryover technique forITS-G5/DSRC on a shared communication channel according to embodiments.

FIG. 7 depicts a diagram of example communication intervals triggered byon/off signals according to embodiments.

FIG. 8 depicts a diagram of an example time slot division in the dynamicallocation of communication intervals according to embodiments.

FIG. 9 depicts a diagram of example allocation techniques for LTE C-V2Xand ITS-G5/DSRC with dynamic interval management.

FIG. 10 depicts a diagram of an example distributed dynamic resourceallocation process according to embodiments.

FIG. 11 depicts a diagram of an example distributed dynamic resourceallocation process for joining a communication channel according toembodiments.

FIG. 12 depicts a diagram of an example distributed dynamic resourceallocation process for leaving a communication channel according toembodiments.

FIG. 13 depicts a diagram of example technology allocations on a sharedchannel using channel reservation messages according to embodiments.

FIG. 14 depicts a diagram of an example transition to an LTE C-V2Xuplink frame according to embodiments.

FIG. 15 depicts a diagram of an example communication intervalsaccording to embodiments.

FIG. 16 depicts a diagram of example CSMA/CA communication techniquesduring an ITS-G5/DSRC time interval according to embodiments.

FIG. 17 depicts a flow diagram of an example method of transmitting dataduring an ITS-G5/DSRC time interval according to embodiments.

FIG. 18 depicts an example system architecture according to embodiments.

FIG. 19 depicts another example system architecture according toembodiments.

FIG. 20 depicts another example system architecture according toembodiments.

FIG. 21A depicts a block diagram of an example infrastructure equipmentaccording to embodiments.

FIG. 21B depicts a block diagram of another example infrastructureequipment according to embodiments.

FIG. 22 depicts a block diagram of an example platform according toembodiments.

FIG. 23 depicts a block diagram of example baseband circuitry and frontend modules according to embodiments.

FIG. 24 depicts a block diagram of example protocol functions that maybe implemented in a wireless communication device according toembodiments.

FIG. 25 depicts a block diagram of example core network componentsaccording to embodiments.

FIG. 26 depicts a block diagram of an example computer system that canbe utilized to implement various embodiments.

FIG. 27 depicts a flow diagram of an example method of accessing acommunication frequency channel by a first communication system and asecond communication system.

FIG. 28 depicts a flow diagram of an example method of accessing acommunication frequency channel by a first communication system and asecond communication system.

The features and advantages of the embodiments will become more apparentfrom the detailed description set forth below when taken in conjunctionwith the drawings, in which like reference characters identifycorresponding elements throughout. In the drawings, like referencenumbers generally indicate identical, functionally similar, and/orstructurally similar elements. The drawing in which an element firstappears is indicated by the leftmost digit(s) in the correspondingreference number.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments, one or moreexamples of which are illustrated in the drawings. Each example isprovided by way of explanation of the embodiments, not limitation of theinvention. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art thatvarious modification and variations can be made to the embodimentswithout departing from the scope or spirit of the present disclosure.For instance, features illustrated or described as part of oneembodiment can be used with another embodiment to yield a still furtherembodiment. Thus it is intended that aspects of the present disclosurecover such modifications and variations.

The foregoing description is intended to enable any person skilled inthe art to make and use the disclosure, and is provided in the contextof a particular application and its requirements. Moreover, theforegoing descriptions of embodiments of the present disclosure havebeen presented for purposes of illustration and description only. Theyare not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present disclosure tothe forms disclosed. Accordingly, many modifications and variations willbe apparent to practitioners skilled in the art, and the generalprinciples defined herein may be applied to other embodiments andapplications without departing from the spirit and scope of the presentdisclosure. Additionally, the discussion of the preceding embodiments isnot intended to limit the present disclosure. Thus, the presentdisclosure is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown, butis to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles andfeatures disclosed herein.

For intelligent transportation systems (ITS) (Safety Applications) inEurope, a 30 MHz frequency band is available, which is split up into 3channels of 10 MHz each as depicted in FIG. 1. There are ongoingdiscussions on how to enable 3GPP LTE C-V2X and ITS-G5/DSRC (ITS-G5 forEurope and DSRC for US) to efficiently co-exist in an identical channel,in particular in one of the safety related channels between 5875-5905MHz. This is challenging because 3GPP LTE C-V2X and ITS-G5/DSRC havebeen defined fully independently without any provisions for coexistence.For example, key differences include: (1) ITS-G5/DSRC uses the CSMA/CAprotocol to access the communication channel, while 3GPP C-V2X uses afixed slot structure; (2) ITS-G5/DSRC applies TDMA based channel access(i.e., a station has access to all spectral resources for a channelduring its transmission period), while 3GPP C-V2X stations use distinctTime/Frequency resources (the so-called resource blocks); and (3) theAccess Layers, including PHY and MAC, of ITS-G5/DSRC and LTE C-V2X arefully different.

The challenge is thus to ensure co-channel coexistence for fullydifferent systems which are having no provisions for co-channelcoexistence. One solution is to use a frequency split (aka “PreferredChannels” solution), i.e. LTE C-V2X is allocated to one part of the bandbetween 5875-5905 MHz and ITS-G5/DSRC is allocated to a different partof the band between 5875-5905 MHz. But this technique may suffer frompoor spectral efficiency in case of an unbalanced level of usage of bothtechnologies (ITS-G5/DSRC and LTE C-V2X) in a given geographic area.

Example aspects of the disclosure describe minimum-invasive methods forco-channel coexistence of cellular and 802.11-based communications(802.11 based also referred to herein as “WLAN based communications”).For instance, in some implementations, example aspects of the disclosuredescribe minimum-invasive methods for co-channel coexistence of the twoexisting V2X technologies ITS-G5/DSRC (e.g. IEEE 802.11 basedtechnology) and LTE-V2X (cellular based technology). More particularly,example aspects of the disclosure describe assignment of time-slots forthe various technologies and provides suitable means on how to makethese time-slots known to both distinct technologies (ITS-G5/DSRC andLTE-V2X). In various implementations, highly efficient sharing of thespectral resources may be enabled through co-channel coexistence.Several alternatives may be used to achieve co-channel coexistence forITS-G5/DSRC and LTE C-V2X. These are presented below with the followingstructure:

Coexistence through fixed allocation of access intervals for ITS-G5/DSRCand LTE C-V2X.

Coexistence through ON/OFF signature signal.

Coexistence through dynamic allocation of access intervals forITS-G5/DSRC and LTE C-V2X.

Coexistence through reservation messages.

Coexistence with adding CSMA/CA to LTE C-V2X and using the last symbolfor transmission.

Improvement on CSMA/CA of ITS-G5/DSRC by prioritizing the transmission.

I. Coexistence Through Fixed Allocation of Access Intervals forITS-G5/DSRC and LTE C-V2X

In this solution, all systems (ITS-G5/DSRC as well as LTE C-V2X) acquireknowledge about the timing of respective fixed allocation slots. Thecoexistence of two different approaches is considered. First, LTE C-V2Xhas fixed channelization and timing; timing is typically coordinatedusing GNSS timing (but other alternatives exist as well, timing may beprovided by Road Side Units, etc.). ITS-G5/DSRC on the other hand,doesn't apply any absolute timing reference for the start oftransmissions or similar. Rather, the applied Carrier Sensing MultipleAccess (CSMA) protocol is a fully distributed channel access protocolthat does not rely on a general reference timing. General spectrumallocation techniques for these communication techniques are depicted inFIG. 2.

According to example aspects of the present disclosure, an overall timeslotting may be introduced for LTE C-V2X and DSRC. In one set of timeslots (e.g. pair/impair time slot IDs) LTE C-V2X may be operated and ina second set of time slots (e.g. impair/pair time slot IDs) ITS-G5/DSRCmay be being operated. Typically, the LTE C-V2X devices timing isachieved following the processes defined by 3GPP (e.g., based on GNSS,based on timing provided by Base Stations, etc.). The ITS-G5 devicestiming can be optionally acquired using the same methods (in particularGNSS may be suitable) or alternatively through sensing of the LTE-C2Vsignal. In particular, it is possible to acquire the timing byidentifying the start of the transmissions and to further refine theestimates by detecting the time instances when sub-channels remainunused (as illustrated in FIG. 2 above).

FIGS. 3-4 depict example allocations of LTE C-V2X and ITS-G5 intervalsaccording to example aspects of the present disclosure. Within theITS-G5/DSRC technology slot, the respective system is applying itsexisting channel access methods. The same applies to the LTE C-V2X slot.The configuration of the technology slots is fixed, pre-configured andknown a-priori to all stations.

Example aspects of the present disclosure can further use modified CSMAtechniques for technology allocation. In classical CSMA, each useridentifies a randomized number (from a pre-determined range) for thecontention process for accessing the channel. This number is counteddown to zero and then the channel is accessed if the channel isavailable (i.e. energy detect and/or listen before talk indicates thatno other user is on the channel). Example aspects of the presentdisclosure freeze the countdown process for all ITS-G5/DSRC nodes duringLTE C-V2X slot time. FIG. 5 depicts a diagram of an example technologyallocation wherein the countdown process for all ITS-G5/DSRC nodesduring LTE C-V2X slot time.

It also possible that all channel access processes for all ITS-G5/DSRCnodes are reset at the beginning of the LTE C-V2X slot time. In suchimplementations, all ITS-G5/DSRC nodes need to restart the channelaccess procedure (i.e., identifying a new randomized number (from apre-determined range) for the contention process, counting down to zero,etc.) after the LTE C-V2X slot time.

If an ITS-G5/DSRC node has successfully performed the channel accessprocedure (i.e., identifying a new randomized number (from apre-determined range) for the contention process, counting down to zero,etc.) and the channel is available (identified through energy detectand/or listen before talk), another check can be performed in additionto the existing process (in current WiFi/ITS-G5/DSRC). This check canverify that the duration of the transmission can be terminated withinthe remaining duration of the ITS-G5/DSRC slot. If this is the case, theITS-G5/DSRC node can start the transmission. If this is not the case,the ITS-G5/DSRC node can either a) shorten the transmission such thatthe remaining duration of the ITS-G5/DSRC slot is sufficient orb) freezethe process until the start of the next ITS-G5/DSRC period (then a newenergy detect/listen before talk needs to be done in order to verifywhether the channel is empty) or c) abandon the process so that theprocess has to start again all over (i.e., identifying a new randomizednumber (from a pre-determined range) for the contention process,counting down to zero, etc.). For case b), i.e. the process is frozenuntil the start of the next ITS-G5/DSRC period, an issue may arise ifmultiple users are in this position, and if all of them try to accessthe channel simultaneously at the start of the next ITS-G5/DSRC period.In such case, collisions may occur. As an option, an additionalrandomized number (from a (small) pre-determined range) can bedetermined by all concerned nodes so that the count-down process isinitiated at the start of the next ITS-G5/DSRC period. Then, it can beexpected that the various concerned nodes will start the energydetect/listen before talk procedure at a slightly delay time andcollisions can be avoided. FIG. 6 depicts a diagram of an exampletechnology allocation technique for the above scenario if the remainderof the ITS-G5/DSRC interval isn't sufficient for a frame according toembodiments.

The “freezing” periods during the LTE C-V2X interval can be easilyimplemented in practice by generating an “on/off” signal following thesynchronization to the LTE C-V2X and ITS-G5/DSRC intervals. An “on”single may indicate that the current interval is reserved forITS-G5/DSRC and the count-down process (and channel access procedure)may move forward while an “off” signal may indicate that the currentinterval is reserved for LTE C-V2X and the countdown process should befrozen. Alternatively, “on”/“off” can be used in the opposite sense aswell, i.e. “off” may signal that the current interval is reserved forITS-G5/DSRC, etc. FIG. 7 depicts an example technology allocation usingsuch on/off signaling technique.

In example aspects, timing for LTE C-V2X/ITS-G5/DSRC can be acquired bythe number of users or the amount of requests in each technology. ForITS-G5 the interval can be various, for LTE C-V2X the interval is betterto be in the unit of 10 ms or at least 5 ms.

CSMA parameters can be changed so that the ITS-G5/DSRC slot maintainsspectral efficiency when the time slots are fixed and pre-configured.ITS-G5/DSRC users do not need to sense the channel during a LTE C-V2Xinterval. However, ITS-G5/DSRC devices can start sensing (minimumduration of CSMA/CA+AIFS) earlier than the beginning of the ITS-G5/DSRCinterval start to catch the earliest chance to transmit. As anadditional option, the duration of the intervals can be pre- orreconfigured according to the geographic area, regional regulation,penetration rate of each system, etc. The time scale here is changingwith the penetration of the systems (e.g. once a month). This isdifferent from the next dynamic allocation scenario for dynamicadaptation of the LTE C-V2X and ITS-G5/DSRC transmission intervals thatwill be described below. Also, in this implementation, all devices knowa priori how long the time interval will be.

In some implementations, the duration of the transmission interval ofeach technology may be changed by configuration (e.g. by manufacturers).For instance, a look up table can be stored in the device to provide allpossible durations. An index to an entry in the table can bepre-configured from the factory, but also after the vehicle entered inthe market. The reconfiguration can occur via specialized workshop orover-the-air. If a connection to the cellular network is available, theUu interface can be used for reconfiguration or both systems. Thesignaling can be defined in the access layer of 3GPP, for example, butalso in higher layers. Moreover, specific messages can be defined toprovide reconfiguration via short range communication with RSUs, forexample.

In the middle of the ITS-G5/DSRC interval, the ITS-G5/DSRC devices willoperate normally. If the channel vacancy time left in the end of theITS-G5/DSRC interval is less than the time required for the transmissionor 40 us (ITS-G5 preamble+header), there is not enough time for theITS-G5/DSRC user to finish one transmission. Thus, ITS-G5/DSRC devicesdo not need to sense the channel when there is less than 40 us to theend of the ITS-G5/DSRC interval.

II. Coexistence Through ON/OFF Signature Signal

In some implementations, the technology allocations can be performedusing an on/off signature signal. In such implementations, when there isa central controller, such as ITS-G5/DSRC Access Point, LTE base stationor RSU, the central controller can inform the ITS-G5/DSRC about thestart of the LTE C-V2X interval and its duration, so ITS-G5/DSRC deviceswill stop the back-off process and wait for the ITS-G5/DSRC interval.When there is no central controller, ITS-G5/DSRC requires an additionalsensing procedure on top of energy detection to detect if the currenttransmitter that is using the channel is a LTE C-V2X device or anITS-G5/DSRC device. In this case, feature or signature signals can beused in the detection, such as LTE PSCCH or DMRS signal. In alternativeimplementations, detection can be performed using the secondarysynchronization signal (SSS), the primary synchronization signal (PSS),PSSCH, for future NR systems it can be based on the 5G-NR PrimarySynchronization Signal (PSS), 5G-NR Secondary Synchronization Signal(SSS), etc. It is furthermore possible to target joint exploitationcontrol & sync signals. Alternatively, detection can be performed usingone of the Sidelink Synchronization Signals (SLSS), i.e. Primary orSecondary Synchronization Signals (PSS or SSS), or both of them. Yetanother option is to use the Physical Sidelink Broadcast Channel(PSBCH), which can also carry some small payload.

Furthermore, data resource (RB) detection is also possible, which can beoccupied by user data for given blocks over time and frequency domain.Detection algorithms may work on a per-Resource-Block detection basis.This is because it is difficult to predict which specific resourceblocks are being used for data transmission, and which are left empty.There may also be empty sub frames, which may be fluctuating overtime/freq.

In embodiments, once an LTE C-V2X signal is detected, the ITS-G5/DSRCprocedure, including back-off and retransmission, will be paused untilthe channel is available again (which will be the next ITS-G5/DSRCinterval), or the channel is busy but LTE C-V2X is not detected, whichmeans there is another ITS-G5/DSRC device transmitting. FIG. 8 depicts adiagram of an example implementation of this process.

As indicated, to indicate different intervals, an ON/OFF signal can besent from ITS-G5/DSRC devices. The ON/OFF signal can be transmitted inthe guard band or the side band. This can be performed by a modificationof the ITS-G5/DSRC CSMA protocol. Such modified CSMA technique can alsobe applied to technique I. above.

III. Coexistence Through Dynamic Allocation of Access Intervals forITS-G5/DSRC and LTE C-V2X

In some implementations, the shared communication channel can beaccessed through dynamic allocation of access intervals for ITS-G5/DSRCand LTE C-V2X. In such implementations, all systems (ITS-G5/DSRC as wellas LTE C-V2X) can acquire knowledge about the timing of respectivedynamic allocation slots. Within the ITS-G5/DSRC technology slot, therespective system is applying its existing channel access methods. Thesame applies to the LTE C-V2X slot. The configuration of the technologyslots is dynamic and will be adapted to the level of usage andpenetration by LTE C-V2X and ITS-G5/DSRC respectively.

FIG. 9 depicts a diagram of an example technology allocation usingdynamic intervals according to example aspects. To acquire timing forLTE C-V2X/ITS-G5/DSRC (e.g., transmission start time for each respectiveinterval), at the configuration information stage, all users submittheir requests on resource in time and frequency. The intervals can beallocated accordingly. Alternatively, interval allocation can beobtained from learning the historical data/spectrum usage of the samegeo-area. The update of the configuration information could beperiodically or based on the changes of the number of requests. In thismethod, a central controller is needed.

Devices using CSMA in ITS-G5/DSRC may need to know when the LTE C-V2Xintervals occur, so that the node can exclude this duration from theback-off process. Alternatively, ITS-G5/DSRC devices can stop back-offprocess by the end of the ITS-G5/DSRC interval and start a new CSMAcycle from the next ITS-G5/DSRC interval.

If an ITS-G5/DSRC device is connected to an AP or an LTE C-V2X device isconnected to a base station, either the AP or the base station can bethe central controller. If the ITS-G5/DSRC device and/or the LTE C-V2Xdevice is not connected to any AP or base station. The transmission willbe determined by the devices distributed/collaboratively. If there is nocentral controller, a distributed method can be used among LTE C-V2X andITS-G5/DSRC devices to adjust the resource allocation dynamically basedon communication requests from the devices. FIG. 10 depicts a diagram ofan example communication duration where intervals are further dividedinto two slots: t_1 and t_2.

In such scenario, all existing devices will transmit a sequence with theconfiguration information for the following transmitting interval int_1. The same maximum interval applies to all devices. During t_2, allexisting devices will switch to receive and listen to the band, exceptduring the gap before its own configuration information for downlink anduplink switch. The gap between t_2 and the transmission interval is forswitching from downlink to uplink for the first user that will transmit.All devices will listen to the transmission interval for the messagessent from other devices.

In some implementations, acknowledgement signals (Ack) may be sent byRSUs. Alternatively, such Ack signals may be sent by existing devices.All existing devices would send Ack using zero-autocorrelation sequence.In some implementations, related discovery function may be handled inthe higher layers (including features for access request and ack).

Any new devices will first listen to the band for at least 2(t_1+t_2)+tTX of time to detect the existing interval allocations from t_1 andongoing/new requests in t_2. The new device then transmits a sequencewith the scheduling request in the t_2. The sequences from all users int_2 are allowed to overlap. The scheduling request includes the deviceidentification, requested interval, and the order in the waiting listfor joining the channel (if the device detected any existing ongoingrequests).

Once the existing devices detect new scheduling request(s) in t_2, theycan reduce their own transmit interval in order to leave space for thenew devices. In the next t_1 interval, the existing device will transmitthe configuration information with the reduced interval informationtogether with the acknowledgement information. During this time, the newdevice that sent the scheduling request will listen to t_1 and t_2 tosee if the resource allocation has been adjusted for its transmission.In the next t_1 interval, the new device will transmit its configurationinformation and normal transmission in its interval. The existing devicewill listen during t_1 except its own configuration information to seeif the requested device has started transmission

In embodiments, the joining process may be a FIFO for devices having thesame level of priority. In such embodiments, the interval order is basedon the joining order. If there are too many devices and the intervalcannot be reduced further, the device in the first interval, which isthe first joining device, will need to quit the queue and re-join theprocess. FIG. 11 depicts a diagram of an example implementation forrequesting transmission in the next available (+2) interval, ordernumber 2, and duration 50% of the interval. This method requires devicesto be synchronized, at least to know when will each time slot starts. Ifthere is a collision of multiple devices sending joining requests at thesame time, there will be multiple acknowledgement information sendingout at the same time for different available slots for each of thejoining devices. FIG. 11 depicts the overlapping requests.

Config in FIG. 11 can indicate that “no transmission” is scheduled forthe next timeslot. Alternatively, transmissions will not require anyconfig symbol. However, in such scenario, the existing device may leavethe channel. Any new transmission requires initiating the attachmentprocedure.

In some implementations, the design of the configuration information(and acknowledgement) message, can include a 1) ITS-G5/DSRC packet, or2) Zadoff-Chu sequence or any zero-cross correlation sequence. Theconfiguration information (and acknowledgement) can be spreadingcoded/modulated on the sequence. The configuration information includes:to reserve the Kth interval after the current interval for transmission,the order of the interval used for this device in the Kth interval, theduration of the transmission. The acknowledgement information includes:the requesting device id, order, available slot and duration oftransmission. The raw message contains M bits. BPSK/QPSK can be used forthe modulation to obtain the complex symbols c_ij. The complex symbolsthen multiply with the zero cross-correlation sequence r_ij and finallyperform an IFFT to get the SC-FDMA/OFDM signal for transmission. Thedesign of the requests in t_2, can include Zad-off Chu or any otherzero-cross correlation sequence. The configuration information andrequest sequence could be pre-processed and stored for futuretransmission.

If a device was forced to leave the channel due to the congestion of thechannel, it will need to send a request in t_2 to rejoin the channel. Ifa device left the channel by itself, it can be assumed that the devicewill not notify other devices. When other devices listen to t_1 excepttheir own configuration information and the gap before, they will knowthe total occupant time of the channel is less than 100%. The existingdevices will send an extension request in t_1 together with the configinformation and in the next interval getting and sendingacknowledgement, then in the next interval increase the duration. Thisis to prevent any collisions with new requests in t_2 and also with theextension requests from other existing devices. FIG. 12 depicts adiagram of an example allocation process wherein a device leaves thechannel and other devices receive duration extensions.

In embodiments, priority of the requests can be added to theconfiguration information. Possible priority levels may be: urgenttransmission; previous existing device rejoining request; new devicejoining request; existing device duration extension request due to otherdevices leaving the channel. For continuous LTE C-V2X intervals, thecongestion control with CBR measurement can be used between the LTEC-V2X devices if the data pool (PSSCH) is congested. If the control pool(PSCCH) is congested, the device will need to request new intervalfollowing the proposed method.

IV. Coexistence Through Reservation Messages

In some implementations, the technology allocations on a sharedcommunications channel can be performed using reservation messages. Insuch implementations, all systems (ITS-G5/DSRC as well as LTE C-V2X)acquire knowledge about the timing of respective fixed allocation slots.Within the ITS-G5/DSRC technology slot, the respective system isapplying its existing channel access methods. The same applies to theLTE C-V2X slot. The configuration of the technology slots is eitherfixed or dynamic and will be adapted to the level of usage by LTE C-V2Xand ITS-G5/DSRC respectively. This method will be combined with one ofthe approaches above (sections I., II. and III). Alternatively, noslotting is identified and all systems can access the medium asrequired.

FIG. 13 depicts example technology allocations using reservationmessages. As shown, channel reservation messages (IEEE 802.11 RTSmessages) are defined at the start of the LTE C-V2X transmission. Othertypes of reservation messages can be used, such as IEEE 802.11 messagesincluding a channel reservation message (TXOP, NAV, or similar). If theLTE C-V2X is connected to a central controller, such as a base stationor a RSU, the central controller or a designated device that is assignedby the central controller will send out a CTS. The ITS-G5/DSRC systemwill detect the RTS (Request to Send) messages as used in the standardWiFi protocol and will use this knowledge in order to identify the startof the LTE C-V2X interval. In the classical WiFi protocol, a CTS (clearto send) message would typically follow but this is not required hereand is typically omitted. It is thus a modified usage of the RTS/CTSmechanism which was originally designed to mitigate the hidden nodeproblem for point-to-point transmissions.

V. Coexistence with Adding CSMA/CA to LTE C-V2X and Using the LastSymbol for Transmission

In some implementations, time intervals are not predefined, but ratherare determined dynamically. In these implementations, all technologies(e.g., LTE C-V2X and ITS-G5/DSRC) may access the medium upon need. Inthese implementations, LTE C-V2X may be modified to accommodate thedynamic time interval determination. Specifically, LTE C-V2X can followthe same CSMA/LBT as ITS-G5/DSRC before transmission. The same maximumtransmission duration applies to both ITS-G5/DSRC and LTE C-V2X (e.g. 5ms or 10 ms). In this manner, LTE C-V2X devices appear as ITS-G5/DSRCdevices, but the transmission is using an LTE and ITS-G5 or jammingsignal.

To prevent collisions, after using CSMA/LBT to confirm the vacancy ofthe channel, LTE C-V2X devices can transmit constantly from the feasibletransmission time until the end of the duration/maximum transmissionduration. This can include two changes to the current LTE C-V2X. First,if the feasible transmission time starts before the uplink subframe, LTEC-V2X devices can either transmit an ITS-G5/DSRC packet until the uplinksubframe begins, or they can transmit a jamming signal.

FIG. 14 depicts a diagram showing a duration from the start oftransmission until the start of the LTE uplink sub frame. Interval t ais the total transmission time for an LTE C-V2X device, and t w is theduration from the beginning of transmission to the beginning of the LTEuplink sub frame. If the device supports LTE C-V2X and ITS-G5/DSRCdual-mode and the duration t w is greater than a minimum ITS-G5 packet,the device can transmit an ITS-G5/DSRC packet for the t w duration. Ifthe device supports LTE C-V2X only or the duration t w is less than aminimum ITS-G5 packet, the device can transmit jamming signal or aITS-G5/DSRC preamble for the t w duration.

Second, in typical LTE C-V2X uplink subframes, the last SC-FDMA symbolleft as blank for 72 us. But if other device senses the channel duringthis time, they will find the channel vacant and start to transmit,which could cause collisions. Thus, in some implementations, LTE C-V2Xdevices can use this symbol for LTE transmission, if there is afollowing uplink subframe for transmission. If the following subframe isdownlink, the LTE C-V2X user will not use the last SC-FDMA symbol fortransmission and will switch to receive. FIG. 15 depicts diagram ofexample time intervals wherein the last SC-FDMA symbol is used for LTEtransmission before the following uplink subrame.

VI. Improvement on CSMA/CA of ITS-G5/DSRC by Prioritizing theTransmission

In some implementations, transmission of high priority messages can beprioritized through modifications to CSMA/CA techniques. In theseimplementations, an ITS-G5/DSRC device does not start transmittingimmediately after an LTE C-V2X interval, but waits for an ArbitrationInter-Frame Spacing (AIFS) time period as illustrated in FIG. 16.Specifically, depicts example techniques for implementing modifiedCSMA/CA techniques at the beginning of an ITS-G5/DCRS interval.

The exact start of the ITS-G5/DSRC interval is known to all devicessince a deterministic slotting of LTE C-V2X and ITS-G5/DSRC is applied,i.e. all nodes exactly know when the LTE C-V2X and ITS-G5/DSRC intervalsstart/end. Because of this, in embodiments, the AIFS duration may beshortened to “0” (or any small value) for ultra high-priority messages.This is possible, since no time needs to be allocated for energy detectand/or listen-before talk, switching between DL/UL or UL/DL, or anyother task. FIG. 16 depicts such a shortening of the AIFS duration ispossible for ultra-high priority services. In embodiments, transmissionsof low AIFS for specific ultra-high priority services which are directlyrelated to the safety of the passengers, e.g. signaling/avoidance ofimminent collision, etc., may be reserved.

FIG. 17 depicts a flow diagram of data transmission using CSMA/CA andimproved CSMA/CA techniques. At 1701, a device can request transmission.At 1702, the device can listen to the channel. At 1703, the device candetermine whether the channel is idle. If the channel is idle, at 1704,the device can listen for the AIFS. At 1705, the device can againdetermine if the channel is idle based on the AIFS. If the channel isidle, at 1711, the device can transmit. If the channel is not idle, at1706 the device can perform a random backoff. At 1707, the device canagain listen to the AIFS. At 1708, the device can determine if thechannel is idle. If the channel is idle, at 1709, the device candecrease the backoff. At 1710, the device can determine if the backoffis greater than zero. If the backoff is greater than zero, the methodcan return to 1708. If the backoff is not greater than zero, at 1711,the device can transmit until transmission is complete at 1712.

If, at 1703, the channel is not idle, at 1713, the device can determinewhether the channel is occupied by C-V2X communications. If the channelis not occupied by C-V2X communications, the method can proceed to 1704.If the channel is occupied by C-V2X, at 1714, the device can listen tothe channel. When the C-V2X interval ends at 1715, the device can listen(AIFS minus min (AIFS[i])) at 1716. The method then can proceed to 1705.

If at 1708, the channel is not idle, the device can determine if thechannel is occupied by C-V2X communications at 1717. If the channel isnot so occupied, the method can proceed to 1707. If the channel is sooccupied, the method can proceed to 1714.

Example Systems and Implementations

Any of the radio links described herein may operate according to any oneor more of the following radio communication technologies and/orstandards including but not limited to: a Global System for MobileCommunications (GSM) radio communication technology, a General PacketRadio Service (GPRS) radio communication technology, an Enhanced DataRates for GSM Evolution (EDGE) radio communication technology, and/or aThird Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) radio communicationtechnology, for example Universal Mobile Telecommunications System(UMTS), Freedom of Multimedia Access (FOMA), 3GPP Long Term Evolution(LTE), 3GPP Long Term Evolution Advanced (LTE Advanced), Code divisionmultiple access 2000 (CDMA2000), Cellular Digital Packet Data (CDPD),Mobitex, Third Generation (3G), Circuit Switched Data (CSD), High-SpeedCircuit-Switched Data (HSCSD), Universal Mobile TelecommunicationsSystem (Third Generation) (UMTS (3G)), Wideband Code Division MultipleAccess (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) (W-CDMA (UMTS)),High Speed Packet Access (HSPA), High-Speed Downlink Packet Access(HSDPA), High-Speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA), High Speed PacketAccess Plus (HSPA+), Universal Mobile TelecommunicationsSystem-Time-Division Duplex (UMTS-TDD), Time Division-Code DivisionMultiple Access (TD-CDMA), Time Division-Synchronous Code DivisionMultiple Access (TD-CDMA), 3rd Generation Partnership Project Release 8(Pre-4th Generation) (3GPP Rel. 8 (Pre-4G)), 3GPP Rel. 9 (3rd GenerationPartnership Project Release 9), 3GPP Rel. 10 (3rd Generation PartnershipProject Release 10), 3GPP Rel. 11 (3rd Generation Partnership ProjectRelease 11), 3GPP Rel. 12 (3rd Generation Partnership Project Release12), 3GPP Rel. 13 (3rd Generation Partnership Project Release 13), 3GPPRel. 14 (3rd Generation Partnership Project Release 14), 3GPP Rel. 15(3rd Generation Partnership Project Release 15), 3GPP Rel. 16 (3rdGeneration Partnership Project Release 16), 3GPP Rel. 17 (3rd GenerationPartnership Project Release 17) and subsequent Releases (such as Rel.18, Rel. 19, etc.), 3GPP 5G, 3GPP LTE Extra, LTE-Advanced Pro, LTELicensed-Assisted Access (LAA), MuLTEfire, UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access(UTRA), Evolved UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA), Long TermEvolution Advanced (4th Generation) (LTE Advanced (4G)), cdmaOne (2G),Code division multiple access 2000 (Third generation) (CDMA2000 (3G)),Evolution-Data Optimized or Evolution-Data Only (EV-DO), Advanced MobilePhone System (1st Generation) (AMPS (1G)), Total Access CommunicationSystem/Extended Total Access Communication System (TACS/ETACS), DigitalAMPS (2nd Generation) (D-AMPS (2G)), Push-to-talk (PTT), MobileTelephone System (MTS), Improved Mobile Telephone System (IMTS),Advanced Mobile Telephone System (AMTS), OLT (Norwegian for OffentligLandmobil Telefoni, Public Land Mobile Telephony), MTD (Swedishabbreviation for Mobiltelefonisystem D, or Mobile telephony system D),Public Automated Land Mobile (Autotel/PALM), ARP (Finnish forAutoradiopuhelin, “car radio phone”), NMT (Nordic Mobile Telephony),High capacity version of NTT (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone) (Hicap),Cellular Digital Packet Data (CDPD), Mobitex, DataTAC, IntegratedDigital Enhanced Network (iDEN), Personal Digital Cellular (PDC),Circuit Switched Data (CSD), Personal Handy-phone System (PHS), WidebandIntegrated Digital Enhanced Network (WiDEN), iBurst, Unlicensed MobileAccess (UMA), also referred to as also referred to as 3GPP GenericAccess Network, or GAN standard), Zigbee, Bluetooth(r), Wireless GigabitAlliance (WiGig) standard, mmWave standards in general (wireless systemsoperating at 10-300 GHz and above such as WiGig, IEEE 802.11ad, IEEE802.11ay, etc.), technologies operating above 300 GHz and THz bands,(3GPP/LTE based or IEEE 802.11p and other) Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) andVehicle-to-X (V2X) and Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I) andInfrastructure-to-Vehicle (I2V) communication technologies, 3GPPcellular V2X, DSRC (Dedicated Short Range Communications) communicationsystems such as Intelligent-Transport-Systems and others (typicallyoperating in 5850 MHz to 5925 MHz), the European ITS-G5 system (i.e. theEuropean flavor of IEEE 802.11p based DSRC, including ITS-G5A (i.e.,Operation of ITS-G5 in European ITS frequency bands dedicated to ITS forsafety related applications in the frequency range 5,875 GHz to 5,905GHz), ITS-G5B (i.e., Operation in European ITS frequency bands dedicatedto ITS non-safety applications in the frequency range 5,855 GHz to 5,875GHz), ITS-G5C (i.e., Operation of ITS applications in the frequencyrange 5,470 GHz to 5,725 GHz)), DSRC in Japan in the 700 MHz band(including 715 MHz to 725 MHz) etc.

Aspects described herein can be used in the context of any spectrummanagement scheme including dedicated licensed spectrum, unlicensedspectrum, (licensed) shared spectrum (such as LSA=Licensed Shared Accessin 2.3-2.4 GHz, 3.4-3.6 GHz, 3.6-3.8 GHz and further frequencies andSAS=Spectrum Access System/CBRS=Citizen Broadband Radio System in3.55-3.7 GHz and further frequencies). Applicable spectrum bands includeIMT (International Mobile Telecommunications) spectrum as well as othertypes of spectrum/bands, such as bands with national allocation(including 450-470 MHz, 902-928 MHz (note: allocated for example in US(FCC Part 15)), 863-868.6 MHz (note: allocated for example in EuropeanUnion (ETSI EN 300 220)), 915.9-929.7 MHz (note: allocated for examplein Japan), 917-923.5 MHz (note: allocated for example in South Korea),755-779 MHz and 779-787 MHz (note: allocated for example in China),790-960 MHz, 1710-2025 MHz, 2110-2200 MHz, 2300-2400 MHz, 2.4-2.4835 GHz(note: it is an ISM band with global availability and it is used byWi-Fi technology family (11b/g/n/ax) and also by Bluetooth), 2500-2690MHz, 698-790 MHz, 610-790 MHz, 3400-3600 MHz, 3400-3800 MHz, 3.55-3.7GHz (note: allocated for example in the US for Citizen Broadband RadioService), 5.15-5.25 GHz and 5.25-5.35 GHz and 5.47-5.725 GHz and5.725-5.85 GHz bands (note: allocated for example in the US (FCC part15), consists four U-NII bands in total 500 MHz spectrum), 5.725-5.875GHz (note: allocated for example in EU (ETSI EN 301 893)), 5.47-5.65 GHz(note: allocated for example in South Korea, 5925-7125 MHz and 5925-6425MHz band (note: under consideration in US and EU, respectively. Nextgeneration Wi-Fi system is expected to include the 6 GHz spectrum asoperating band but it is noted that, as of December 2017, Wi-Fi systemis not yet allowed in this band. Regulation is expected to be finishedin 2019-2020 time frame), IMT-advanced spectrum, IMT-2020 spectrum(expected to include 3600-3800 MHz, 3.5 GHz bands, 700 MHz bands, bandswithin the 24.25-86 GHz range, etc.), spectrum made available underFCC's “Spectrum Frontier” 5G initiative (including 27.5-28.35 GHz,29.1-29.25 GHz, 31-31.3 GHz, 37-38.6 GHz, 38.6-40 GHz, 42-42.5 GHz,57-64 GHz, 71-76 GHz, 81-86 GHz and 92-94 GHz, etc), the ITS(Intelligent Transport Systems) band of 5.9 GHz (typically 5.85-5.925GHz) and 63-64 GHz, bands currently allocated to WiGig such as WiGigBand 1 (57.24-59.40 GHz), WiGig Band 2 (59.40-61.56 GHz) and WiGig Band3 (61.56-63.72 GHz) and WiGig Band 4 (63.72-65.88 GHz), 57-64/66 GHz(note: this band has near-global designation for Multi-Gigabit WirelessSystems (MGWS)/WiGig. In US (FCC part 15) allocates total 14 GHzspectrum, while EU (ETSI EN 302 567 and ETSI EN 301 217-2 for fixed P2P)allocates total 9 GHz spectrum), the 70.2 GHz-71 GHz band, any bandbetween 65.88 GHz and 71 GHz, bands currently allocated to automotiveradar applications such as 76-81 GHz, and future bands including 94-300GHz and above. Furthermore, the scheme can be used on a secondary basison bands such as the TV White Space bands (typically below 790 MHz)where in particular the 400 MHz and 700 MHz bands are promisingcandidates. Besides cellular applications, specific applications forvertical markets may be addressed such as PMSE (Program Making andSpecial Events), medical, health, surgery, automotive, low-latency,drones, etc. applications.

Aspects described herein can also implement a hierarchical applicationof the scheme is possible, e.g. by introducing a hierarchicalprioritization of usage for different types of users (e.g.,low/medium/high priority, etc.), based on a prioritized access to thespectrum e.g. with highest priority to tier-1 users, followed by tier-2,then tier-3, etc. users, etc.

Aspects described herein can also be applied to different Single Carrieror OFDM flavors (CP-OFDM, SC-FDMA, SC-OFDM, filter bank-basedmulticarrier (FBMC), OFDMA, etc.) and in particular 3GPP NR (New Radio)by allocating the OFDM carrier data bit vectors to the correspondingsymbol resources.].

Some of the features in this disclosure are defined for the networkside, such as Access Points, eNodeBs, New Radio (NR) or next generationNode Bs (gNodeB or gNB—note that this term is typically used in thecontext of 3GPP fifth generation (5G) communication systems), etc.Still, a User Equipment (UE) may take this role as well and act as anAccess Points, eNodeBs, gNodeBs, etc. I.e., some or all features definedfor network equipment may be implemented by a UE.

FIG. 18 illustrates an example architecture of a system 100 of anetwork, in accordance with various embodiments. The followingdescription is provided for an example system 100 that operates inconjunction with the LTE system standards and 5G or NR system standardsas provided by 3GPP technical specifications. However, the exampleembodiments are not limited in this regard and the described embodimentsmay apply to other networks that benefit from the principles describedherein, such as future 3GPP systems (e.g., Sixth Generation (6G))systems, IEEE 802.16 protocols (e.g., WMAN, WiMAX, etc.), or the like.

As shown by FIG. 18, the system 100 includes UE 101 a and UE 101 b(collectively referred to as “UEs 101” or “UE 101”). In this example,UEs 101 are illustrated as smartphones (e.g., handheld touchscreenmobile computing devices connectable to one or more cellular networks),but may also comprise any mobile or non-mobile computing device, such asconsumer electronics devices, cellular phones, smartphones, featurephones, tablet computers, wearable computer devices, personal digitalassistants (PDAs), pagers, wireless handsets, desktop computers, laptopcomputers, in-vehicle infotainment (IVI), in-car entertainment (ICE)devices, an Instrument Cluster (IC), head-up display (HUD) devices,onboard diagnostic (OBD) devices, dashtop mobile equipment (DME), mobiledata terminals (MDTs), Electronic Engine Management System (EEMS),electronic/engine control units (ECUs), electronic/engine controlmodules (ECMs), embedded systems, microcontrollers, control modules,engine management systems (EMS), networked or “smart” appliances, MTCdevices, M2M, IoT devices, and/or the like.

In some embodiments, any of the UEs 101 may be IoT UEs, which maycomprise a network access layer designed for low-power IoT applicationsutilizing short-lived UE connections. An IoT UE can utilize technologiessuch as M2M or MTC for exchanging data with an MTC server or device viaa PLMN, ProSe or D2D communication, sensor networks, or IoT networks.The M2M or MTC exchange of data may be a machine-initiated exchange ofdata. An IoT network describes interconnecting IoT UEs, which mayinclude uniquely identifiable embedded computing devices (within theInternet infrastructure), with short-lived connections. The IoT UEs mayexecute background applications (e.g., keep-alive messages, statusupdates, etc.) to facilitate the connections of the IoT network.

The UEs 101 may be configured to connect, for example, communicativelycouple, with an RAN 110. In embodiments, the RAN 110 may be an NG RAN ora 5G RAN, an E-UTRAN, or a legacy RAN, such as a UTRAN or GERAN. As usedherein, the term “NG RAN” or the like may refer to a RAN 110 thatoperates in an NR or 5G system 100, and the term “E-UTRAN” or the likemay refer to a RAN 110 that operates in an LTE or 4G system 100. The UEs101 utilize connections (or channels) 103 and 104, respectively, each ofwhich comprises a physical communications interface or layer (discussedin further detail below).

In this example, the connections 103 and 104 are illustrated as an airinterface to enable communicative coupling, and can be consistent withcellular communications protocols, such as a GSM protocol, a CDMAnetwork protocol, a PTT protocol, a POC protocol, a UMTS protocol, a3GPP LTE protocol, a 5G protocol, a NR protocol, and/or any of the othercommunications protocols discussed herein. In embodiments, the UEs 101may directly exchange communication data via a ProSe interface 105. TheProSe interface 105 may alternatively be referred to as a SL interface105 and may comprise one or more logical channels, including but notlimited to a PSCCH, a PSSCH, a PSDCH, and a PSBCH.

The UE 101 b is shown to be configured to access an AP 106 (alsoreferred to as “WLAN node 106,” “WLAN 106,” “WLAN Termination 106,” “WT106” or the like) via connection 107. The connection 107 can comprise alocal wireless connection, such as a connection consistent with any IEEE802.11 protocol, wherein the AP 106 would comprise a wireless fidelity(Wi-Fi®) router. In this example, the AP 106 is shown to be connected tothe Internet without connecting to the core network of the wirelesssystem (described in further detail below). In various embodiments, theUE 101 b, RAN 110, and AP 106 may be configured to utilize LWA operationand/or LWIP operation. The LWA operation may involve the UE 101 b inRRC_CONNECTED being configured by a RAN node 111 a-b to utilize radioresources of LTE and WLAN. LWIP operation may involve the UE 101 b usingWLAN radio resources (e.g., connection 107) via IPsec protocol tunnelingto authenticate and encrypt packets (e.g., IP packets) sent over theconnection 107. IPsec tunneling may include encapsulating the entiretyof original IP packets and adding a new packet header, therebyprotecting the original header of the IP packets.

The RAN 110 can include one or more AN nodes or RAN nodes 111 a and 111b (collectively referred to as “RAN nodes 111” or “RAN node 111”) thatenable the connections 103 and 104. As used herein, the terms “accessnode,” “access point,” or the like may describe equipment that providesthe radio baseband functions for data and/or voice connectivity betweena network and one or more users. These access nodes can be referred toas BS, gNBs, RAN nodes, eNBs, NodeBs, RSUs, TRxPs or TRPs, and so forth,and can comprise ground stations (e.g., terrestrial access points) orsatellite stations providing coverage within a geographic area (e.g., acell). As used herein, the term “NG RAN node” or the like may refer to aRAN node 111 that operates in an NR or 5G system 100 (for example, agNB), and the term “E-UTRAN node” or the like may refer to a RAN node111 that operates in an LTE or 4G system 100 (e.g., an eNB). Accordingto various embodiments, the RAN nodes 111 may be implemented as one ormore of a dedicated physical device such as a macrocell base station,and/or a low power (LP) base station for providing femtocells, picocellsor other like cells having smaller coverage areas, smaller usercapacity, or higher bandwidth compared to macrocells.

In some embodiments, all or parts of the RAN nodes 111 may beimplemented as one or more software entities running on server computersas part of a virtual network, which may be referred to as a CRAN and/ora virtual baseband unit pool (vBBUP). In these embodiments, the CRAN orvBBUP may implement a RAN function split, such as a PDCP split whereinRRC and PDCP layers are operated by the CRAN/vBBUP and other L2 protocolentities are operated by individual RAN nodes 111; a MAC/PHY splitwherein RRC, PDCP, RLC, and MAC layers are operated by the CRAN/vBBUPand the PHY layer is operated by individual RAN nodes 111; or a “lowerPHY” split wherein RRC, PDCP, RLC, MAC layers and upper portions of thePHY layer are operated by the CRAN/vBBUP and lower portions of the PHYlayer are operated by individual RAN nodes 111. This virtualizedframework allows the freed-up processor cores of the RAN nodes 111 toperform other virtualized applications. In some implementations, anindividual RAN node 111 may represent individual gNB-DUs that areconnected to a gNB-CU via individual F1 interfaces (not shown by FIG.18). In these implementations, the gNB-DUs may include one or moreremote radio heads or RFEMs (see, e.g., FIGS. 21A and 21B), and thegNB-CU may be operated by a server that is located in the RAN 110 (notshown) or by a server pool in a similar manner as the CRAN/vBBUP.Additionally or alternatively, one or more of the RAN nodes 111 may benext generation eNBs (ng-eNBs), which are RAN nodes that provide E-UTRAuser plane and control plane protocol terminations toward the UEs 101,and are connected to a 5GC (e.g., CN 320 of FIG. 19) via an NG interface(discussed infra).

In V2X scenarios one or more of the RAN nodes 111 may be or act as RSUs.The term “Road Side Unit” or “RSU” may refer to any transportationinfrastructure entity used for V2X communications. An RSU may beimplemented in or by a suitable RAN node or a stationary (or relativelystationary) UE, where an RSU implemented in or by a UE may be referredto as a “UE-type RSU,” an RSU implemented in or by an eNB may bereferred to as an “eNB-type RSU,” an RSU implemented in or by a gNB maybe referred to as a “gNB-type RSU,” and the like. In one example, an RSUis a computing device coupled with radio frequency circuitry located ona roadside that provides connectivity support to passing vehicle UEs 101(vUEs 101). The RSU may also include internal data storage circuitry tostore intersection map geometry, traffic statistics, media, as well asapplications/software to sense and control ongoing vehicular andpedestrian traffic. The RSU may operate on the 5.9 GHz Direct ShortRange Communications (DSRC) band to provide very low latencycommunications required for high speed events, such as crash avoidance,traffic warnings, and the like. Additionally or alternatively, the RSUmay operate on the cellular V2X band to provide the aforementioned lowlatency communications, as well as other cellular communicationsservices. Additionally or alternatively, the RSU may operate as a Wi-Fihotspot (2.4 GHz band) and/or provide connectivity to one or morecellular networks to provide uplink and downlink communications. Thecomputing device(s) and some or all of the radiofrequency circuitry ofthe RSU may be packaged in a weatherproof enclosure suitable for outdoorinstallation, and may include a network interface controller to providea wired connection (e.g., Ethernet) to a traffic signal controllerand/or a backhaul network.

Any of the RAN nodes 111 can terminate the air interface protocol andcan be the first point of contact for the UEs 101. In some embodiments,any of the RAN nodes 111 can fulfill various logical functions for theRAN 110 including, but not limited to, radio network controller (RNC)functions such as radio bearer management, uplink and downlink dynamicradio resource management and data packet scheduling, and mobilitymanagement.

In embodiments, the UEs 101 can be configured to communicate using OFDMcommunication signals with each other or with any of the RAN nodes 111over a multicarrier communication channel in accordance with variouscommunication techniques, such as, but not limited to, an OFDMAcommunication technique (e.g., for downlink communications) or a SC-FDMAcommunication technique (e.g., for uplink and ProSe or sidelinkcommunications), although the scope of the embodiments is not limited inthis respect. The OFDM signals can comprise a plurality of orthogonalsubcarriers.

In some embodiments, a downlink resource grid can be used for downlinktransmissions from any of the RAN nodes 111 to the UEs 101, while uplinktransmissions can utilize similar techniques. The grid can be atime-frequency grid, called a resource grid or time-frequency resourcegrid, which is the physical resource in the downlink in each slot. Sucha time-frequency plane representation is a common practice for OFDMsystems, which makes it intuitive for radio resource allocation. Eachcolumn and each row of the resource grid corresponds to one OFDM symboland one OFDM subcarrier, respectively. The duration of the resource gridin the time domain corresponds to one slot in a radio frame. Thesmallest time-frequency unit in a resource grid is denoted as a resourceelement. Each resource grid comprises a number of resource blocks, whichdescribe the mapping of certain physical channels to resource elements.Each resource block comprises a collection of resource elements; in thefrequency domain, this may represent the smallest quantity of resourcesthat currently can be allocated. There are several different physicaldownlink channels that are conveyed using such resource blocks.

According to various embodiments, the UEs 101 and the RAN nodes 111communicate data (for example, transmit and receive) data over alicensed medium (also referred to as the “licensed spectrum” and/or the“licensed band”) and an unlicensed shared medium (also referred to asthe “unlicensed spectrum” and/or the “unlicensed band”). The licensedspectrum may include channels that operate in the frequency range ofapproximately 400 MHz to approximately 3.8 GHz, whereas the unlicensedspectrum may include the 5 GHz band.

To operate in the unlicensed spectrum, the UEs 101 and the RAN nodes 111may operate using LAA, eLAA, and/or feLAA mechanisms. In theseimplementations, the UEs 101 and the RAN nodes 111 may perform one ormore known medium-sensing operations and/or carrier-sensing operationsin order to determine whether one or more channels in the unlicensedspectrum is unavailable or otherwise occupied prior to transmitting inthe unlicensed spectrum. The medium/carrier sensing operations may beperformed according to a listen-before-talk (LBT) protocol.

LBT is a mechanism whereby equipment (for example, UEs 101, RAN nodes111 etc.) senses a medium (for example, a channel or carrier frequency)and transmits when the medium is sensed to be idle (or when a specificchannel in the medium is sensed to be unoccupied). The medium sensingoperation may include CCA, which utilizes at least ED to determine thepresence or absence of other signals on a channel in order to determineif a channel is occupied or clear. This LBT mechanism allowscellular/LAA networks to coexist with incumbent systems in theunlicensed spectrum and with other LAA networks. ED may include sensingRF energy across an intended transmission band for a period of time andcomparing the sensed RF energy to a predefined or configured threshold.

Typically, the incumbent systems in the 5 GHz band are WLANs based onIEEE 802.11 technologies. WLAN employs a contention-based channel accessmechanism, called CSMA/CA. Here, when a WLAN node (e.g., a mobilestation (MS) such as UEs 101, AP 106, or the like) intends to transmit,the WLAN node may first perform CCA before transmission. Additionally, abackoff mechanism is used to avoid collisions in situations where morethan one WLAN node senses the channel as idle and transmits at the sametime. The backoff mechanism may be a counter that is drawn randomlywithin the CWS, which is increased exponentially upon the occurrence ofcollision and reset to a minimum value when the transmission succeeds.The LBT mechanism designed for LAA is somewhat similar to the CSMA/CA ofWLAN. In some implementations, the LBT procedure for DL or ULtransmission bursts including PDSCH or PUSCH transmissions,respectively, may have an LAA contention window that is variable inlength between X and Y ECCA slots, where X and Y are minimum and maximumvalues for the CWSs for LAA. In one example, the minimum CWS for an LAAtransmission may be 9 microseconds (μs); however, the size of the CWSand a MCOT (for example, a transmission burst) may be based ongovernmental regulatory requirements.

The LAA mechanisms are built upon CA technologies of LTE-Advancedsystems. In CA, each aggregated carrier is referred to as a CC. A CC mayhave a bandwidth of 1.4, 3, 5, 10, 15 or 20 MHz and a maximum of fiveCCs can be aggregated, and therefore, a maximum aggregated bandwidth is100 MHz. In FDD systems, the number of aggregated carriers can bedifferent for DL and UL, where the number of UL CCs is equal to or lowerthan the number of DL component carriers. In some cases, individual CCscan have a different bandwidth than other CCs. In TDD systems, thenumber of CCs as well as the bandwidths of each CC is usually the samefor DL and UL.

CA also comprises individual serving cells to provide individual CCs.The coverage of the serving cells may differ, for example, because CCson different frequency bands will experience different pathloss. Aprimary service cell or PCell may provide a PCC for both UL and DL, andmay handle RRC and NAS related activities. The other serving cells arereferred to as SCells, and each SCell may provide an individual SCC forboth UL and DL. The SCCs may be added and removed as required, whilechanging the PCC may require the UEs 101 to undergo a handover. In LAA,eLAA, and feLAA, some or all of the SCells may operate in the unlicensedspectrum (referred to as “LAA SCells”), and the LAA SCells are assistedby a PCell operating in the licensed spectrum. When a UE is configuredwith more than one LAA SCell, the UE may receive UL grants on theconfigured LAA SCells indicating different PUSCH starting positionswithin a same subframe.

The PDSCH carries user data and higher-layer signaling to the UEs 101.The PDCCH carries information about the transport format and resourceallocations related to the PDSCH channel, among other things. It mayalso inform the UEs 101 about the transport format, resource allocation,and HARQ information related to the uplink shared channel. Typically,downlink scheduling (assigning control and shared channel resourceblocks to the UE 101 b within a cell) may be performed at any of the RANnodes 111 based on channel quality information fed back from any of theUEs 101. The downlink resource assignment information may be sent on thePDCCH used for (e.g., assigned to) each of the UEs 101.

The PDCCH uses CCEs to convey the control information. Before beingmapped to resource elements, the PDCCH complex-valued symbols may firstbe organized into quadruplets, which may then be permuted using asub-block interleaver for rate matching. Each PDCCH may be transmittedusing one or more of these CCEs, where each CCE may correspond to ninesets of four physical resource elements known as REGs. Four QuadraturePhase Shift Keying (QPSK) symbols may be mapped to each REG. The PDCCHcan be transmitted using one or more CCEs, depending on the size of theDCI and the channel condition. There can be four or more different PDCCHformats defined in LTE with different numbers of CCEs (e.g., aggregationlevel, L=1, 2, 4, or 8).

Some embodiments may use concepts for resource allocation for controlchannel information that are an extension of the above-describedconcepts. For example, some embodiments may utilize an EPDCCH that usesPDSCH resources for control information transmission. The EPDCCH may betransmitted using one or more ECCEs. Similar to above, each ECCE maycorrespond to nine sets of four physical resource elements known as anEREGs. An ECCE may have other numbers of EREGs in some situations.

The RAN nodes 111 may be configured to communicate with one another viainterface 112. In embodiments where the system 100 is an LTE system(e.g., when CN 120 is an EPC 220 as in FIG. 18), the interface 112 maybe an X2 interface 112. The X2 interface may be defined between two ormore RAN nodes 111 (e.g., two or more eNBs and the like) that connect toEPC 120, and/or between two eNBs connecting to EPC 120. In someimplementations, the X2 interface may include an X2 user plane interface(X2-U) and an X2 control plane interface (X2-C). The X2-U may provideflow control mechanisms for user data packets transferred over the X2interface, and may be used to communicate information about the deliveryof user data between eNBs. For example, the X2-U may provide specificsequence number information for user data transferred from a MeNB to anSeNB; information about successful in sequence delivery of PDCP PDUs toa UE 101 from an SeNB for user data; information of PDCP PDUs that werenot delivered to a UE 101; information about a current minimum desiredbuffer size at the SeNB for transmitting to the UE user data; and thelike. The X2-C may provide intra-LTE access mobility functionality,including context transfers from source to target eNBs, user planetransport control, etc.; load management functionality; as well asinter-cell interference coordination functionality.

In embodiments where the system 100 is a 5G or NR system (e.g., when CN120 is an 5GC 320 as in FIG. 19), the interface 112 may be an Xninterface 112. The Xn interface is defined between two or more RAN nodes111 (e.g., two or more gNBs and the like) that connect to 5GC 120,between a RAN node 111 (e.g., a gNB) connecting to 5GC 120 and an eNB,and/or between two eNBs connecting to 5GC 120. In some implementations,the Xn interface may include an Xn user plane (Xn-U) interface and an Xncontrol plane (Xn-C) interface. The Xn-U may provide non-guaranteeddelivery of user plane PDUs and support/provide data forwarding and flowcontrol functionality. The Xn-C may provide management and errorhandling functionality, functionality to manage the Xn-C interface;mobility support for UE 101 in a connected mode (e.g., CM-CONNECTED)including functionality to manage the UE mobility for connected modebetween one or more RAN nodes 111. The mobility support may includecontext transfer from an old (source) serving RAN node 111 to new(target) serving RAN node 111; and control of user plane tunnels betweenold (source) serving RAN node 111 to new (target) serving RAN node 111.A protocol stack of the Xn-U may include a transport network layer builton Internet Protocol (IP) transport layer, and a GTP-U layer on top of aUDP and/or IP layer(s) to carry user plane PDUs. The Xn-C protocol stackmay include an application layer signaling protocol (referred to as XnApplication Protocol (Xn-AP)) and a transport network layer that isbuilt on SCTP. The SCTP may be on top of an IP layer, and may providethe guaranteed delivery of application layer messages. In the transportIP layer, point-to-point transmission is used to deliver the signalingPDUs. In other implementations, the Xn-U protocol stack and/or the Xn-Cprotocol stack may be same or similar to the user plane and/or controlplane protocol stack(s) shown and described herein.

The RAN 110 is shown to be communicatively coupled to a core network—inthis embodiment, core network (CN) 120. The CN 120 may comprise aplurality of network elements 122, which are configured to offer variousdata and telecommunications services to customers/subscribers (e.g.,users of UEs 101) who are connected to the CN 120 via the RAN 110. Thecomponents of the CN 120 may be implemented in one physical node orseparate physical nodes including components to read and executeinstructions from a machine-readable or computer-readable medium (e.g.,a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium). In some embodiments,NFV may be utilized to virtualize any or all of the above-describednetwork node functions via executable instructions stored in one or morecomputer-readable storage mediums (described in further detail below). Alogical instantiation of the CN 120 may be referred to as a networkslice, and a logical instantiation of a portion of the CN 120 may bereferred to as a network sub-slice. NFV architectures andinfrastructures may be used to virtualize one or more network functions,alternatively performed by proprietary hardware, onto physical resourcescomprising a combination of industry-standard server hardware, storagehardware, or switches. In other words, NFV systems can be used toexecute virtual or reconfigurable implementations of one or more EPCcomponents/functions.

Generally, the application server 130 may be an element offeringapplications that use IP bearer resources with the core network (e.g.,UMTS PS domain, LTE PS data services, etc.). The application server 130can also be configured to support one or more communication services(e.g., VoIP sessions, PTT sessions, group communication sessions, socialnetworking services, etc.) for the UEs 101 via the EPC 120.

In embodiments, the CN 120 may be a 5GC (referred to as “5GC 120” or thelike), and the RAN 110 may be connected with the CN 120 via an NGinterface 113. In embodiments, the NG interface 113 may be split intotwo parts, an NG user plane (NG-U) interface 114, which carries trafficdata between the RAN nodes 111 and a UPF, and the S1 control plane(NG-C) interface 115, which is a signaling interface between the RANnodes 111 and AMFs. Embodiments where the CN 120 is a 5GC 120 arediscussed in more detail with regard to FIG. 19.

In embodiments, the CN 120 may be a 5G CN (referred to as “5GC 120” orthe like), while in other embodiments, the CN 120 may be an EPC). WhereCN 120 is an EPC (referred to as “EPC 120” or the like), the RAN 110 maybe connected with the CN 120 via an S1 interface 113. In embodiments,the S1 interface 113 may be split into two parts, an S1 user plane(S1-U) interface 114, which carries traffic data between the RAN nodes111 and the S-GW, and the S1-MME interface 115, which is a signalinginterface between the RAN nodes 111 and MMEs. An example architecturewherein the CN 120 is an EPC 120 is shown by FIG. 18.

FIG. 19 illustrates an example architecture of a system 200 including afirst CN 220, in accordance with various embodiments. In this example,system 200 may implement the LTE standard wherein the CN 220 is an EPC220 that corresponds with CN 120 of FIG. 19. Additionally, the UE 201may be the same or similar as the UEs 101 of FIG. 18, and the E-UTRAN210 may be a RAN that is the same or similar to the RAN 110 of FIG. 18,and which may include RAN nodes 111 discussed previously. The CN 220 maycomprise MMEs 221, an S-GW 222, a P-GW 223, a HSS 224, and a SGSN 225.

The MMEs 221 may be similar in function to the control plane of legacySGSN, and may implement MM functions to keep track of the currentlocation of a UE 201. The MMEs 221 may perform various MM procedures tomanage mobility aspects in access such as gateway selection and trackingarea list management. MM (also referred to as “EPS MM” or “EMM” inE-UTRAN systems) may refer to all applicable procedures, methods, datastorage, etc. that are used to maintain knowledge about a presentlocation of the UE 201, provide user identity confidentiality, and/orperform other like services to users/subscribers. Each UE 201 and theMME 221 may include an MM or EMM sublayer, and an MM context may beestablished in the UE 201 and the MME 221 when an attach procedure issuccessfully completed. The MM context may be a data structure ordatabase object that stores MM-related information of the UE 201. TheMMEs 221 may be coupled with the HSS 224 via an S6a reference point,coupled with the SGSN 225 via an S3 reference point, and coupled withthe S-GW 222 via an S11 reference point.

The SGSN 225 may be a node that serves the UE 201 by tracking thelocation of an individual UE 201 and performing security functions. Inaddition, the SGSN 225 may perform Inter-EPC node signaling for mobilitybetween 2G/3G and E-UTRAN 3GPP access networks; PDN and S-GW selectionas specified by the MMEs 221; handling of UE 201 time zone functions asspecified by the MMEs 221; and MME selection for handovers to E-UTRAN3GPP access network. The S3 reference point between the MMEs 221 and theSGSN 225 may enable user and bearer information exchange for inter-3GPPaccess network mobility in idle and/or active states.

The HSS 224 may comprise a database for network users, includingsubscription-related information to support the network entities'handling of communication sessions. The EPC 220 may comprise one orseveral HSSs 224, depending on the number of mobile subscribers, on thecapacity of the equipment, on the organization of the network, etc. Forexample, the HSS 224 can provide support for routing/roaming,authentication, authorization, naming/addressing resolution, locationdependencies, etc. An S6a reference point between the HSS 224 and theMMEs 221 may enable transfer of subscription and authentication data forauthenticating/authorizing user access to the EPC 220 between HSS 224and the MMEs 221.

The S-GW 222 may terminate the S1 interface 113 (“S1-U” in FIG. 19)toward the RAN 210, and routes data packets between the RAN 210 and theEPC 220. In addition, the S-GW 222 may be a local mobility anchor pointfor inter-RAN node handovers and also may provide an anchor forinter-3GPP mobility. Other responsibilities may include lawfulintercept, charging, and some policy enforcement. The S11 referencepoint between the S-GW 222 and the MMEs 221 may provide a control planebetween the MMEs 221 and the S-GW 222. The S-GW 222 may be coupled withthe P-GW 223 via an S5 reference point.

The P-GW 223 may terminate an SGi interface toward a PDN 230. The P-GW223 may route data packets between the EPC 220 and external networkssuch as a network including the application server 130 (alternativelyreferred to as an “AF”) via an IP interface 125 (see e.g., FIG. 18). Inembodiments, the P-GW 223 may be communicatively coupled to anapplication server (application server 130 of FIG. 17 or PDN 230 in FIG.19) via an IP communications interface 125 (see, e.g., FIG. 18). The S5reference point between the P-GW 223 and the S-GW 222 may provide userplane tunneling and tunnel management between the P-GW 223 and the S-GW222. The S5 reference point may also be used for S-GW 222 relocation dueto UE 201 mobility and if the S-GW 222 needs to connect to anon-collocated P-GW 223 for the required PDN connectivity. The P-GW 223may further include a node for policy enforcement and charging datacollection (e.g., PCEF (not shown)). Additionally, the SGi referencepoint between the P-GW 223 and the packet data network (PDN) 230 may bean operator external public, a private PDN, or an intra operator packetdata network, for example, for provision of IMS services. The P-GW 223may be coupled with a PCRF 226 via a Gx reference point.

PCRF 226 is the policy and charging control element of the EPC 220. In anon-roaming scenario, there may be a single PCRF 226 in the Home PublicLand Mobile Network (HPLMN) associated with a UE 201's Internet ProtocolConnectivity Access Network (IP-CAN) session. In a roaming scenario withlocal breakout of traffic, there may be two PCRFs associated with a UE201's IP-CAN session, a Home PCRF (H-PCRF) within an HPLMN and a VisitedPCRF (V-PCRF) within a Visited Public Land Mobile Network (VPLMN). ThePCRF 226 may be communicatively coupled to the application server 230via the P-GW 223. The application server 230 may signal the PCRF 226 toindicate a new service flow and select the appropriate QoS and chargingparameters. The PCRF 226 may provision this rule into a PCEF (not shown)with the appropriate TFT and QCI, which commences the QoS and chargingas specified by the application server 230. The Gx reference pointbetween the PCRF 226 and the P-GW 223 may allow for the transfer of QoSpolicy and charging rules from the PCRF 226 to PCEF in the P-GW 223. AnRx reference point may reside between the PDN 230 (or “AF 230”) and thePCRF 226.

FIG. 20 illustrates an architecture of a system 300 including a secondCN 320 in accordance with various embodiments. The system 300 is shownto include a UE 301, which may be the same or similar to the UEs 101 andUE 201 discussed previously; a (R)AN 310, which may be the same orsimilar to the RAN 110 and RAN 210 discussed previously, and which mayinclude RAN nodes 111 discussed previously; and a DN 303, which may be,for example, operator services, Internet access or 3rd party services;and a 5GC 320. The 5GC 320 may include an AUSF 322; an AMF 321; a SMF324; a NEF 323; a PCF 326; a NRF 325; a UDM 327; an AF 328; a UPF 302;and a NSSF 329.

The UPF 302 may act as an anchor point for intra-RAT and inter-RATmobility, an external PDU session point of interconnect to DN 303, and abranching point to support multi-homed PDU session. The UPF 302 may alsoperform packet routing and forwarding, perform packet inspection,enforce the user plane part of policy rules, lawfully intercept packets(UP collection), perform traffic usage reporting, perform QoS handlingfor a user plane (e.g., packet filtering, gating, UL/DL rateenforcement), perform Uplink Traffic verification (e.g., SDF to QoS flowmapping), transport level packet marking in the uplink and downlink, andperform downlink packet buffering and downlink data notificationtriggering. UPF 302 may include an uplink classifier to support routingtraffic flows to a data network. The DN 303 may represent variousnetwork operator services, Internet access, or third party services. DN303 may include, or be similar to, application server 130 discussedpreviously. The UPF 302 may interact with the SMF 324 via an N4reference point between the SMF 324 and the UPF 302.

The AUSF 322 may store data for authentication of UE 301 and handleauthentication-related functionality. The AUSF 322 may facilitate acommon authentication framework for various access types. The AUSF 322may communicate with the AMF 321 via an N12 reference point between theAMF 321 and the AUSF 322; and may communicate with the UDM 327 via anN13 reference point between the UDM 327 and the AUSF 322. Additionally,the AUSF 322 may exhibit an Nausf service-based interface.

The AMF 321 may be responsible for registration management (e.g., forregistering UE 301, etc.), connection management, reachabilitymanagement, mobility management, and lawful interception of AMF-relatedevents, and access authentication and authorization. The AMF 321 may bea termination point for the an N11 reference point between the AMF 321and the SMF 324. The AMF 321 may provide transport for SM messagesbetween the UE 301 and the SMF 324, and act as a transparent proxy forrouting SM messages. AMF 321 may also provide transport for SMS messagesbetween UE 301 and an SMSF (not shown by FIG. 20). AMF 321 may act asSEAF, which may include interaction with the AUSF 322 and the UE 301,receipt of an intermediate key that was established as a result of theUE 301 authentication process. Where USIM based authentication is used,the AMF 321 may retrieve the security material from the AUSF 322. AMF321 may also include a SCM function, which receives a key from the SEAthat it uses to derive access-network specific keys. Furthermore, AMF321 may be a termination point of a RAN CP interface, which may includeor be an N2 reference point between the (R)AN 310 and the AMF 321; andthe AMF 321 may be a termination point of NAS (N1) signalling, andperform NAS ciphering and integrity protection.

AMF 321 may also support NAS signalling with a UE 301 over an N3 IWFinterface. The N3IWF may be used to provide access to untrustedentities. N3IWF may be a termination point for the N2 interface betweenthe (R)AN 310 and the AMF 321 for the control plane, and may be atermination point for the N3 reference point between the (R)AN 310 andthe UPF 302 for the user plane. As such, the AMF 321 may handle N2signalling from the SMF 324 and the AMF 321 for PDU sessions and QoS,encapsulate/de-encapsulate packets for IPSec and N3 tunneling, mark N3user-plane packets in the uplink, and enforce QoS corresponding to N3packet marking taking into account QoS requirements associated with suchmarking received over N2. N3IWF may also relay uplink and downlinkcontrol-plane NAS signalling between the UE 301 and AMF 321 via an N1reference point between the UE 301 and the AMF 321, and relay uplink anddownlink user-plane packets between the UE 301 and UPF 302. The N3IWFalso provides mechanisms for IPsec tunnel establishment with the UE 301.The AMF 321 may exhibit an Namf service-based interface, and may be atermination point for an N14 reference point between two AMFs 321 and anN17 reference point between the AMF 321 and a 5G-EIR (not shown by FIG.20).

The UE 301 may need to register with the AMF 321 in order to receivenetwork services. RM is used to register or deregister the UE 301 withthe network (e.g., AMF 321), and establish a UE context in the network(e.g., AMF 321). The UE 301 may operate in an RM-REGISTERED state or anRM-DEREGISTERED state. In the RM-DEREGISTERED state, the UE 301 is notregistered with the network, and the UE context in AMF 321 holds novalid location or routing information for the UE 301 so the UE 301 isnot reachable by the AMF 321. In the RM-REGISTERED state, the UE 301 isregistered with the network, and the UE context in AMF 321 may hold avalid location or routing information for the UE 301 so the UE 301 isreachable by the AMF 321. In the RM-REGISTERED state, the UE 301 mayperform mobility Registration Update procedures, perform periodicRegistration Update procedures triggered by expiration of the periodicupdate timer (e.g., to notify the network that the UE 301 is stillactive), and perform a Registration Update procedure to update UEcapability information or to re-negotiate protocol parameters with thenetwork, among others.

The AMF 321 may store one or more RM contexts for the UE 301, where eachRM context is associated with a specific access to the network. The RMcontext may be a data structure, database object, etc. that indicates orstores, inter alia, a registration state per access type and theperiodic update timer. The AMF 321 may also store a 5GC MM context thatmay be the same or similar to the (E)MM context discussed previously. Invarious embodiments, the AMF 321 may store a CE mode B Restrictionparameter of the UE 301 in an associated MM context or RM context. TheAMF 321 may also derive the value, when needed, from the UE's usagesetting parameter already stored in the UE context (and/or MM/RMcontext).

CM may be used to establish and release a signaling connection betweenthe UE 301 and the AMF 321 over the N1 interface. The signalingconnection is used to enable NAS signaling exchange between the UE 301and the CN 320, and comprises both the signaling connection between theUE and the AN (e.g., RRC connection or UE-N3IWF connection for non-3GPPaccess) and the N2 connection for the UE 301 between the AN (e.g., RAN310) and the AMF 321. The UE 301 may operate in one of two CM states,CM-IDLE mode or CM-CONNECTED mode. When the UE 301 is operating in theCM-IDLE state/mode, the UE 301 may have no NAS signaling connectionestablished with the AMF 321 over the N1 interface, and there may be(R)AN 310 signaling connection (e.g., N2 and/or N3 connections) for theUE 301. When the UE 301 is operating in the CM-CONNECTED state/mode, theUE 301 may have an established NAS signaling connection with the AMF 321over the N1 interface, and there may be a (R)AN 310 signaling connection(e.g., N2 and/or N3 connections) for the UE 301. Establishment of an N2connection between the (R)AN 310 and the AMF 321 may cause the UE 301 totransition from CM-IDLE mode to CM-CONNECTED mode, and the UE 301 maytransition from the CM-CONNECTED mode to the CM-IDLE mode when N2signaling between the (R)AN 310 and the AMF 321 is released.

The SMF 324 may be responsible for SM (e.g., session establishment,modify and release, including tunnel maintain between UPF and AN node);UE IP address allocation and management (including optionalauthorization); selection and control of UP function; configuringtraffic steering at UPF to route traffic to proper destination;termination of interfaces toward policy control functions; controllingpart of policy enforcement and QoS; lawful intercept (for SM events andinterface to LI system); termination of SM parts of NAS messages;downlink data notification; initiating AN specific SM information, sentvia AMF over N2 to AN; and determining SSC mode of a session. SM mayrefer to management of a PDU session, and a PDU session or “session” mayrefer to a PDU connectivity service that provides or enables theexchange of PDUs between a UE 301 and a data network (DN) 303 identifiedby a Data Network Name (DNN). PDU sessions may be established upon UE301 request, modified upon UE 301 and 5GC 320 request, and released uponUE 301 and 5GC 320 request using NAS SM signaling exchanged over the N1reference point between the UE 301 and the SMF 324. Upon request from anapplication server, the 5GC 320 may trigger a specific application inthe UE 301. In response to receipt of the trigger message, the UE 301may pass the trigger message (or relevant parts/information of thetrigger message) to one or more identified applications in the UE 301.The identified application(s) in the UE 301 may establish a PDU sessionto a specific DNN. The SMF 324 may check whether the UE 301 requests arecompliant with user subscription information associated with the UE 301.In this regard, the SMF 324 may retrieve and/or request to receiveupdate notifications on SMF 324 level subscription data from the UDM327.

The SMF 324 may include the following roaming functionality: handlinglocal enforcement to apply QoS SLAB (VPLMN); charging data collectionand charging interface (VPLMN); lawful intercept (in VPLMN for SM eventsand interface to LI system); and support for interaction with externalDN for transport of signalling for PDU sessionauthorization/authentication by external DN. An N16 reference pointbetween two SMFs 324 may be included in the system 300, which may bebetween another SMF 324 in a visited network and the SMF 324 in the homenetwork in roaming scenarios. Additionally, the SMF 324 may exhibit theNsmf service-based interface.

The NEF 323 may provide means for securely exposing the services andcapabilities provided by 3GPP network functions for third party,internal exposure/re-exposure, Application Functions (e.g., AF 328),edge computing or fog computing systems, etc. In such embodiments, theNEF 323 may authenticate, authorize, and/or throttle the AFs. NEF 323may also translate information exchanged with the AF 328 and informationexchanged with internal network functions. For example, the NEF 323 maytranslate between an AF-Service-Identifier and an internal 5GCinformation. NEF 323 may also receive information from other networkfunctions (NFs) based on exposed capabilities of other networkfunctions. This information may be stored at the NEF 323 as structureddata, or at a data storage NF using standardized interfaces. The storedinformation can then be re-exposed by the NEF 323 to other NFs and AFs,and/or used for other purposes such as analytics. Additionally, the NEF323 may exhibit an Nnef service-based interface.

The NRF 325 may support service discovery functions, receive NFdiscovery requests from NF instances, and provide the information of thediscovered NF instances to the NF instances. NRF 325 also maintainsinformation of available NF instances and their supported services. Asused herein, the terms “instantiate,” “instantiation,” and the like mayrefer to the creation of an instance, and an “instance” may refer to aconcrete occurrence of an object, which may occur, for example, duringexecution of program code. Additionally, the NRF 325 may exhibit theNnrf service-based interface.

The PCF 326 may provide policy rules to control plane function(s) toenforce them, and may also support unified policy framework to governnetwork behaviour. The PCF 326 may also implement an FE to accesssubscription information relevant for policy decisions in a UDR of theUDM 327. The PCF 326 may communicate with the AMF 321 via an N15reference point between the PCF 326 and the AMF 321, which may include aPCF 326 in a visited network and the AMF 321 in case of roamingscenarios. The PCF 326 may communicate with the AF 328 via an N5reference point between the PCF 326 and the AF 328; and with the SMF 324via an N7 reference point between the PCF 326 and the SMF 324. Thesystem 300 and/or CN 320 may also include an N24 reference point betweenthe PCF 326 (in the home network) and a PCF 326 in a visited network.Additionally, the PCF 326 may exhibit an Npcf service-based interface.

The UDM 327 may handle subscription-related information to support thenetwork entities' handling of communication sessions, and may storesubscription data of UE 301. For example, subscription data may becommunicated between the UDM 327 and the AMF 321 via an N8 referencepoint between the UDM 327 and the AMF. The UDM 327 may include twoparts, an application FE and a UDR (the FE and UDR are not shown by FIG.20). The UDR may store subscription data and policy data for the UDM 327and the PCF 326, and/or structured data for exposure and applicationdata (including PFDs for application detection, application requestinformation for multiple UEs 301) for the NEF 323. The Nudrservice-based interface may be exhibited by the UDR 221 to allow the UDM327, PCF 326, and NEF 323 to access a particular set of the stored data,as well as to read, update (e.g., add, modify), delete, and subscribe tonotification of relevant data changes in the UDR. The UDM may include aUDM-FE, which is in charge of processing credentials, locationmanagement, subscription management and so on. Several different frontends may serve the same user in different transactions. The UDM-FEaccesses subscription information stored in the UDR and performsauthentication credential processing, user identification handling,access authorization, registration/mobility management, and subscriptionmanagement. The UDR may interact with the SMF 324 via an N10 referencepoint between the UDM 327 and the SMF 324. UDM 327 may also support SMSmanagement, wherein an SMS-FE implements the similar application logicas discussed previously. Additionally, the UDM 327 may exhibit the Nudmservice-based interface.

The AF 328 may provide application influence on traffic routing, provideaccess to the NCE, and interact with the policy framework for policycontrol. The NCE may be a mechanism that allows the 5GC 320 and AF 328to provide information to each other via NEF 323, which may be used foredge computing implementations. In such implementations, the networkoperator and third party services may be hosted close to the UE 301access point of attachment to achieve an efficient service deliverythrough the reduced end-to-end latency and load on the transportnetwork. For edge computing implementations, the 5GC may select a UPF302 close to the UE 301 and execute traffic steering from the UPF 302 toDN 303 via the N6 interface. This may be based on the UE subscriptiondata, UE location, and information provided by the AF 328. In this way,the AF 328 may influence UPF (re)selection and traffic routing. Based onoperator deployment, when AF 328 is considered to be a trusted entity,the network operator may permit AF 328 to interact directly withrelevant NFs. Additionally, the AF 328 may exhibit an Naf service-basedinterface.

The NSSF 329 may select a set of network slice instances serving the UE301. The NSSF 329 may also determine allowed NSSAI and the mapping tothe subscribed S-NSSAIs, if needed. The NSSF 329 may also determine theAMF set to be used to serve the UE 301, or a list of candidate AMF(s)321 based on a suitable configuration and possibly by querying the NRF325. The selection of a set of network slice instances for the UE 301may be triggered by the AMF 321 with which the UE 301 is registered byinteracting with the NSSF 329, which may lead to a change of AMF 321.The NSSF 329 may interact with the AMF 321 via an N22 reference pointbetween AMF 321 and NSSF 329; and may communicate with another NSSF 329in a visited network via an N31 reference point (not shown by FIG. 19).Additionally, the NSSF 329 may exhibit an Nnssf service-based interface.

As discussed previously, the CN 320 may include an SMSF, which may beresponsible for SMS subscription checking and verification, and relayingSM messages to/from the UE 301 to/from other entities, such as anSMS-GMSC/IWMSC/SMS-router. The SMS may also interact with AMF 321 andUDM 327 for a notification procedure that the UE 301 is available forSMS transfer (e.g., set a UE not reachable flag, and notifying UDM 327when UE 301 is available for SMS).

The CN 320 may also include other elements that are not shown by FIG.20, such as a Data Storage system/architecture, a 5G-EIR, a SEPP, andthe like. The Data Storage system may include a SDSF, an UDSF, and/orthe like. Any NF may store and retrieve unstructured data into/from theUDSF (e.g., UE contexts), via N18 reference point between any NF and theUDSF (not shown by FIG. 19). Individual NFs may share a UDSF for storingtheir respective unstructured data or individual NFs may each have theirown UDSF located at or near the individual NFs. Additionally, the UDSFmay exhibit an Nudsf service-based interface (not shown by FIG. 20). The5G-EIR may be an NF that checks the status of PEI for determiningwhether particular equipment/entities are blacklisted from the network;and the SEPP may be a non-transparent proxy that performs topologyhiding, message filtering, and policing on inter-PLMN control planeinterfaces.

Additionally, there may be many more reference points and/orservice-based interfaces between the NF services in the NFs; however,these interfaces and reference points have been omitted from FIG. 20 forclarity. In one example, the CN 320 may include an Nx interface, whichis an inter-CN interface between the MME (e.g., MME 221) and the AMF 321in order to enable interworking between CN 320 and CN 220. Other exampleinterfaces/reference points may include an N5g-EIR service-basedinterface exhibited by a 5G-EIR, an N27 reference point between the NRFin the visited network and the NRF in the home network; and an N31reference point between the NSSF in the visited network and the NSSF inthe home network.

FIG. 21A illustrates an example of infrastructure equipment 400 inaccordance with various embodiments. The infrastructure equipment 400(or “system 400”) may be implemented as a base station, radio head, RANnode such as the RAN nodes 111 and/or AP 106 shown and describedpreviously, application server(s) 130, and/or any other element/devicediscussed herein. In other examples, the system 400 could be implementedin or by a UE.

The system 400 includes application circuitry 405, baseband circuitry410, one or more radio front end modules (RFEMs) 415, memory circuitry420, power management integrated circuitry (PMIC) 425, power teecircuitry 430, network controller circuitry 435, network interfaceconnector 440, satellite positioning circuitry 445, and user interface450. In some embodiments, the device 400 may include additional elementssuch as, for example, memory/storage, display, camera, sensor, orinput/output (I/O) interface. In other embodiments, the componentsdescribed below may be included in more than one device. For example,said circuitries may be separately included in more than one device forCRAN, vBBU, or other like implementations.

Application circuitry 405 includes circuitry such as, but not limited toone or more processors (or processor cores), cache memory, and one ormore of low drop-out voltage regulators (LDOs), interrupt controllers,serial interfaces such as SPI, I²C or universal programmable serialinterface module, real time clock (RTC), timer-counters includinginterval and watchdog timers, general purpose input/output (I/O or IO),memory card controllers such as Secure Digital (SD) MultiMediaCard (MMC)or similar, Universal Serial Bus (USB) interfaces, Mobile IndustryProcessor Interface (MIPI) interfaces and Joint Test Access Group (JTAG)test access ports. The processors (or cores) of the applicationcircuitry 405 may be coupled with or may include memory/storage elementsand may be configured to execute instructions stored in thememory/storage to enable various applications or operating systems torun on the system 400. In some implementations, the memory/storageelements may be on-chip memory circuitry, which may include any suitablevolatile and/or non-volatile memory, such as DRAM, SRAM, EPROM, EEPROM,Flash memory, solid-state memory, and/or any other type of memory devicetechnology, such as those discussed herein.

The processor(s) of application circuitry 405 may include, for example,one or more processor cores (CPUs), one or more application processors,one or more graphics processing units (GPUs), one or more reducedinstruction set computing (RISC) processors, one or more Acorn RISCMachine (ARM) processors, one or more complex instruction set computing(CISC) processors, one or more digital signal processors (DSP), one ormore FPGAs, one or more PLDs, one or more ASICs, one or moremicroprocessors or controllers, or any suitable combination thereof. Insome embodiments, the application circuitry 405 may comprise, or may be,a special-purpose processor/controller to operate according to thevarious embodiments herein. As examples, the processor(s) of applicationcircuitry 405 may include one or more Intel Pentium®, Core®, or Xeon®processor(s); Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) Ryzen® processor(s),Accelerated Processing Units (APUs), or Epyc® processors; ARM-basedprocessor(s) licensed from ARM Holdings, Ltd. such as the ARM Cortex-Afamily of processors and the ThunderX2® provided by Cavium™, Inc.; aMIPS-based design from MIPS Technologies, Inc. such as MIPS WarriorP-class processors; and/or the like. In some embodiments, the system 400may not utilize application circuitry 405, and instead may include aspecial-purpose processor/controller to process IP data received from anEPC or 5GC, for example.

In some implementations, the application circuitry 405 may include oneor more hardware accelerators, which may be microprocessors,programmable processing devices, or the like. The one or more hardwareaccelerators may include, for example, computer vision (CV) and/or deeplearning (DL) accelerators. As examples, the programmable processingdevices may be one or more a field-programmable devices (FPDs) such asfield-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) and the like; programmable logicdevices (PLDs) such as complex PLDs (CPLDs), high-capacity PLDs(HCPLDs), and the like; ASICs such as structured ASICs and the like;programmable SoCs (PSoCs); and the like. In such implementations, thecircuitry of application circuitry 405 may comprise logic blocks orlogic fabric, and other interconnected resources that may be programmedto perform various functions, such as the procedures, methods,functions, etc. of the various embodiments discussed herein. In suchembodiments, the circuitry of application circuitry 405 may includememory cells (e.g., erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM),electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flashmemory, static memory (e.g., static random access memory (SRAM),anti-fuses, etc.)) used to store logic blocks, logic fabric, data, etc.in look-up-tables (LUTs) and the like.

The baseband circuitry 410 may be implemented, for example, as asolder-down substrate including one or more integrated circuits, asingle packaged integrated circuit soldered to a main circuit board or amulti-chip module containing two or more integrated circuits. Thevarious hardware electronic elements of baseband circuitry 410 arediscussed infra with regard to FIG. 23.

User interface circuitry 450 may include one or more user interfacesdesigned to enable user interaction with the system 400 or peripheralcomponent interfaces designed to enable peripheral component interactionwith the system 400. User interfaces may include, but are not limitedto, one or more physical or virtual buttons (e.g., a reset button), oneor more indicators (e.g., light emitting diodes (LEDs)), a physicalkeyboard or keypad, a mouse, a touchpad, a touchscreen, speakers orother audio emitting devices, microphones, a printer, a scanner, aheadset, a display screen or display device, etc. Peripheral componentinterfaces may include, but are not limited to, a nonvolatile memoryport, a universal serial bus (USB) port, an audio jack, a power supplyinterface, etc.

The radio front-end modules (RFEMs) 415 may comprise a millimeter wave(mmWave) RFEM and one or more sub-mmWave radio frequency integratedcircuits (RFICs). In some implementations, the one or more sub-mmWaveRFICs may be physically separated from the mmWave RFEM. The RFICs mayinclude connections to one or more antennas or antenna arrays (see e.g.,antenna array 611 of FIG. 23 infra), and the RFEM may be connected tomultiple antennas. In alternative implementations, both mmWave andsub-mmWave radio functions may be implemented in the same physical RFEM415, which incorporates both mmWave antennas and sub-mmWave.

The memory circuitry 420 may include one or more of volatile memoryincluding dynamic random access memory (DRAM) and/or synchronous dynamicrandom access memory (SDRAM), and nonvolatile memory (NVM) includinghigh-speed electrically erasable memory (commonly referred to as Flashmemory), phase change random access memory (PRAM), magnetoresistiverandom access memory (MRAM), etc., and may incorporate thethree-dimensional (3D) cross-point (XPOINT) memories from Intel® andMicron®. Memory circuitry 420 may be implemented as one or more ofsolder down packaged integrated circuits, socketed memory modules andplug-in memory cards.

The PMIC 425 may include voltage regulators, surge protectors, poweralarm detection circuitry, and one or more backup power sources such asa battery or capacitor. The power alarm detection circuitry may detectone or more of brown out (under-voltage) and surge (over-voltage)conditions. The power tee circuitry 430 may provide for electrical powerdrawn from a network cable to provide both power supply and dataconnectivity to the infrastructure equipment 400 using a single cable.

The network controller circuitry 435 may provide connectivity to anetwork using a standard network interface protocol such as Ethernet,Ethernet over GRE Tunnels, Ethernet over Multiprotocol Label Switching(MPLS), or some other suitable protocol. Network connectivity may beprovided to/from the infrastructure equipment 400 via network interfaceconnector 440 using a physical connection, which may be electrical(commonly referred to as a “copper interconnect”), optical, or wireless.The network controller circuitry 435 may include one or more dedicatedprocessors and/or FPGAs to communicate using one or more of theaforementioned protocols. In some implementations, the networkcontroller circuitry 435 may include multiple controllers to provideconnectivity to other networks using the same or different protocols.

The positioning circuitry 445 includes circuitry to receive and decodesignals transmitted/broadcasted by a positioning network of a globalnavigation satellite system (GNSS). Examples of navigation satelliteconstellations (or GNSS) include United States' Global PositioningSystem (GPS), Russia's Global Navigation System (GLONASS), the EuropeanUnion's Galileo system, China's BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, aregional navigation system or GNSS augmentation system (e.g., Navigationwith Indian Constellation (NAVIC), Japan's Quasi-Zenith Satellite System(QZSS), France's Doppler Orbitography and Radio-positioning Integratedby Satellite (DORIS), etc.), or the like. The positioning circuitry 445comprises various hardware elements (e.g., including hardware devicessuch as switches, filters, amplifiers, antenna elements, and the like tofacilitate OTA communications) to communicate with components of apositioning network, such as navigation satellite constellation nodes.In some embodiments, the positioning circuitry 445 may include aMicro-Technology for Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (Micro-PNT) ICthat uses a master timing clock to perform position tracking/estimationwithout GNSS assistance. The positioning circuitry 445 may also be partof, or interact with, the baseband circuitry 410 and/or RFEMs 415 tocommunicate with the nodes and components of the positioning network.The positioning circuitry 445 may also provide position data and/or timedata to the application circuitry 405, which may use the data tosynchronize operations with various infrastructure (e.g., RAN nodes 111,etc.), or the like.

The components shown by FIG. 21A may communicate with one another usinginterface circuitry, which may include any number of bus and/orinterconnect (IX) technologies such as industry standard architecture(ISA), extended ISA (EISA), peripheral component interconnect (PCI),peripheral component interconnect extended (PCIx), PCI express (PCIe),or any number of other technologies. The bus/IX may be a proprietarybus, for example, used in a SoC based system. Other bus/IX systems maybe included, such as an I²C interface, an SPI interface, point to pointinterfaces, and a power bus, among others.

FIG. 21B depicts example infrastructure equipment 460 in accordance withvarious embodiments. The infrastructure equipment 460 (or “system 460”)may be implemented as a base station, radio head, RAN node such as theRAN nodes 111 and/or AP 106 shown and described previously, applicationserver(s) 130, and/or any other element/device discussed herein. Inother examples, the system 460 could be implemented in or by a UE.

The system 460 is similar to the system 400 depicted in FIG. 21A, andincludes many of the same components as the system 400. For instance,the system 460 includes positioning circuitry 445, user interfacecircuitry 450, application circuitry 405, memory circuitry 420, networkcontroller circuitry 435, PMIC 425, and power tee 430. In accordancewith various embodiments, system 460 further includes communicationsystem 462 and communication system 464. The communication system 462includes baseband circuitry 466 and a radio front end module 468. Thecommunication system 464 similarly includes baseband circuitry 470 and aradio front end module 472. Various hardware electronic elements ofbaseband circuitry 466, 470 and radio front end modules 468, 472 arediscussed infra with regard to FIG. 23. In various implementations, thecommunication system 462 can be a cellular based communication system,such as, for instance, a LTE C-V2X communication system, operating asdescribed herein. The communication system 464 can be an IEEE 802.11based communication system (i.e., a WLAN based communication system),such as an ITS-G5 communication system or a DSRC communication system,operating as described herein.

FIG. 22 illustrates an example of a platform 500 (or “device 500”) inaccordance with various embodiments. In embodiments, the computerplatform 500 may be suitable for use as UEs 101, 201, applicationservers 130, and/or any other element/device discussed herein. Theplatform 500 may include any combinations of the components shown in theexample. The components of platform 500 may be implemented as integratedcircuits (ICs), portions thereof, discrete electronic devices, or othermodules, logic, hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereofadapted in the computer platform 500, or as components otherwiseincorporated within a chassis of a larger system. The block diagram ofFIG. 22 is intended to show a high level view of components of thecomputer platform 500. However, some of the components shown may beomitted, additional components may be present, and different arrangementof the components shown may occur in other implementations.

Application circuitry 505 includes circuitry such as, but not limited toone or more processors (or processor cores), cache memory, and one ormore of LDOs, interrupt controllers, serial interfaces such as SPI, I²Cor universal programmable serial interface module, RTC, timer-countersincluding interval and watchdog timers, general purpose I/O, memory cardcontrollers such as SD MMC or similar, USB interfaces, MIPI interfaces,and JTAG test access ports. The processors (or cores) of the applicationcircuitry 505 may be coupled with or may include memory/storage elementsand may be configured to execute instructions stored in thememory/storage to enable various applications or operating systems torun on the system 500. In some implementations, the memory/storageelements may be on-chip memory circuitry, which may include any suitablevolatile and/or non-volatile memory, such as DRAM, SRAM, EPROM, EEPROM,Flash memory, solid-state memory, and/or any other type of memory devicetechnology, such as those discussed herein.

The processor(s) of application circuitry 505 may include, for example,one or more processor cores, one or more application processors, one ormore GPUs, one or more RISC processors, one or more ARM processors, oneor more CISC processors, one or more DSP, one or more FPGAs, one or morePLDs, one or more ASICs, one or more microprocessors or controllers, amultithreaded processor, an ultra-low voltage processor, an embeddedprocessor, some other known processing element, or any suitablecombination thereof. In some embodiments, the application circuitry 505may comprise, or may be, a special-purpose processor/controller tooperate according to the various embodiments herein.

As examples, the processor(s) of application circuitry 505 may includean Intel® Architecture Core™ based processor, such as a Quark™, anAtom™, an i3, an i5, an i7, or an MCU-class processor, or another suchprocessor available from Intel® Corporation, Santa Clara, Calif. Theprocessors of the application circuitry 505 may also be one or more ofAdvanced Micro Devices (AMD) Ryzen® processor(s) or AcceleratedProcessing Units (APUs); A5-A9 processor(s) from Apple® Inc.,Snapdragon™ processor(s) from Qualcomm® Technologies, Inc., TexasInstruments, Inc.® Open Multimedia Applications Platform (OMAP)™processor(s); a MIPS-based design from MIPS Technologies, Inc. such asMIPS Warrior M-class, Warrior I-class, and Warrior P-class processors;an ARM-based design licensed from ARM Holdings, Ltd., such as the ARMCortex-A, Cortex-R, and Cortex-M family of processors; or the like. Insome implementations, the application circuitry 505 may be a part of asystem on a chip (SoC) in which the application circuitry 505 and othercomponents are formed into a single integrated circuit, or a singlepackage, such as the Edison™ or Galileo™ SoC boards from Intel®Corporation.

Additionally or alternatively, application circuitry 505 may includecircuitry such as, but not limited to, one or more a field-programmabledevices (FPDs) such as FPGAs and the like; programmable logic devices(PLDs) such as complex PLDs (CPLDs), high-capacity PLDs (HCPLDs), andthe like; ASICs such as structured ASICs and the like; programmable SoCs(PSoCs); and the like. In such embodiments, the circuitry of applicationcircuitry 505 may comprise logic blocks or logic fabric, and otherinterconnected resources that may be programmed to perform variousfunctions, such as the procedures, methods, functions, etc. of thevarious embodiments discussed herein. In such embodiments, the circuitryof application circuitry 505 may include memory cells (e.g., erasableprogrammable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasableprogrammable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory, static memory(e.g., static random access memory (SRAM), anti-fuses, etc.)) used tostore logic blocks, logic fabric, data, etc. in look-up tables (LUTs)and the like.

The baseband circuitry 510 may be implemented, for example, as asolder-down substrate including one or more integrated circuits, asingle packaged integrated circuit soldered to a main circuit board or amulti-chip module containing two or more integrated circuits. Thevarious hardware electronic elements of baseband circuitry 510 arediscussed infra with regard to FIG. 23.

The RFEMs 515 may comprise a millimeter wave (mmWave) RFEM and one ormore sub-mmWave radio frequency integrated circuits (RFICs). In someimplementations, the one or more sub-mmWave RFICs may be physicallyseparated from the mmWave RFEM. The RFICs may include connections to oneor more antennas or antenna arrays (see e.g., antenna array 611 of FIG.23 infra), and the RFEM may be connected to multiple antennas. Inalternative implementations, both mmWave and sub-mmWave radio functionsmay be implemented in the same physical RFEM 515, which incorporatesboth mmWave antennas and sub-mmWave.

The memory circuitry 520 may include any number and type of memorydevices used to provide for a given amount of system memory. Asexamples, the memory circuitry 520 may include one or more of volatilememory including random access memory (RAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM) and/orsynchronous dynamic RAM (SDRAM), and nonvolatile memory (NVM) includinghigh-speed electrically erasable memory (commonly referred to as Flashmemory), phase change random access memory (PRAM), magnetoresistiverandom access memory (MRAM), etc. The memory circuitry 520 may bedeveloped in accordance with a Joint Electron Devices EngineeringCouncil (JEDEC) low power double data rate (LPDDR)-based design, such asLPDDR2, LPDDR3, LPDDR4, or the like. Memory circuitry 520 may beimplemented as one or more of solder down packaged integrated circuits,single die package (SDP), dual die package (DDP) or quad die package(Q17P), socketed memory modules, dual inline memory modules (DIMMs)including microDIMMs or MiniDIMMs, and/or soldered onto a motherboardvia a ball grid array (BGA). In low power implementations, the memorycircuitry 520 may be on-die memory or registers associated with theapplication circuitry 505. To provide for persistent storage ofinformation such as data, applications, operating systems and so forth,memory circuitry 520 may include one or more mass storage devices, whichmay include, inter alia, a solid state disk drive (SSDD), hard diskdrive (HDD), a micro HDD, resistance change memories, phase changememories, holographic memories, or chemical memories, among others. Forexample, the computer platform 500 may incorporate the three-dimensional(3D) cross-point (XPOINT) memories from Intel® and Micron®.

Removable memory circuitry 523 may include devices, circuitry,enclosures/housings, ports or receptacles, etc. used to couple portabledata storage devices with the platform 500. These portable data storagedevices may be used for mass storage purposes, and may include, forexample, flash memory cards (e.g., Secure Digital (SD) cards, microSDcards, xD picture cards, and the like), and USB flash drives, opticaldiscs, external HDDs, and the like.

The platform 500 may also include interface circuitry (not shown) thatis used to connect external devices with the platform 500. The externaldevices connected to the platform 500 via the interface circuitryinclude sensor circuitry 521 and electro-mechanical components (EMCs)522, as well as removable memory devices coupled to removable memorycircuitry 523.

The sensor circuitry 521 include devices, modules, or subsystems whosepurpose is to detect events or changes in its environment and send theinformation (sensor data) about the detected events to some other adevice, module, subsystem, etc. Examples of such sensors include, interalia, inertia measurement units (IMUS) comprising accelerometers,gyroscopes, and/or magnetometers; microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)or nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS) comprising 3-axisaccelerometers, 3-axis gyroscopes, and/or magnetometers; level sensors;flow sensors; temperature sensors (e.g., thermistors); pressure sensors;barometric pressure sensors; gravimeters; altimeters; image capturedevices (e.g., cameras or lensless apertures); light detection andranging (LiDAR) sensors; proximity sensors (e.g., infrared radiationdetector and the like), depth sensors, ambient light sensors, ultrasonictransceivers; microphones or other like audio capture devices; etc.

EMCs 522 include devices, modules, or subsystems whose purpose is toenable platform 500 to change its state, position, and/or orientation,or move or control a mechanism or (sub)system. Additionally, EMCs 522may be configured to generate and send messages/signalling to othercomponents of the platform 500 to indicate a current state of the EMCs522. Examples of the EMCs 522 include one or more power switches, relaysincluding electromechanical relays (EMRs) and/or solid state relays(SSRs), actuators (e.g., valve actuators, etc.), an audible soundgenerator, a visual warning device, motors (e.g., DC motors, steppermotors, etc.), wheels, thrusters, propellers, claws, clamps, hooks,and/or other like electro-mechanical components. In embodiments,platform 500 is configured to operate one or more EMCs 522 based on oneor more captured events and/or instructions or control signals receivedfrom a service provider and/or various clients.

In some implementations, the interface circuitry may connect theplatform 500 with positioning circuitry 545. The positioning circuitry545 includes circuitry to receive and decode signalstransmitted/broadcasted by a positioning network of a GNSS. Examples ofnavigation satellite constellations (or GNSS) include United States'GPS, Russia's GLONASS, the European Union's Galileo system, China'sBeiDou Navigation Satellite System, a regional navigation system or GNSSaugmentation system (e.g., NAVIC), Japan's QZSS, France's DORIS, etc.),or the like. The positioning circuitry 545 comprises various hardwareelements (e.g., including hardware devices such as switches, filters,amplifiers, antenna elements, and the like to facilitate OTAcommunications) to communicate with components of a positioning network,such as navigation satellite constellation nodes. In some embodiments,the positioning circuitry 545 may include a Micro-PNT IC that uses amaster timing clock to perform position tracking/estimation without GNSSassistance. The positioning circuitry 545 may also be part of, orinteract with, the baseband circuitry 410 and/or RFEMs 515 tocommunicate with the nodes and components of the positioning network.The positioning circuitry 545 may also provide position data and/or timedata to the application circuitry 505, which may use the data tosynchronize operations with various infrastructure (e.g., radio basestations), for turn-by-turn navigation applications, or the like

In some implementations, the interface circuitry may connect theplatform 500 with Near-Field Communication (NFC) circuitry 540. NFCcircuitry 540 is configured to provide contactless, short-rangecommunications based on radio frequency identification (RFID) standards,wherein magnetic field induction is used to enable communication betweenNFC circuitry 540 and NFC-enabled devices external to the platform 500(e.g., an “NFC touchpoint”). NFC circuitry 540 comprises an NFCcontroller coupled with an antenna element and a processor coupled withthe NFC controller. The NFC controller may be a chip/IC providing NFCfunctionalities to the NFC circuitry 540 by executing NFC controllerfirmware and an NFC stack. The NFC stack may be executed by theprocessor to control the NFC controller, and the NFC controller firmwaremay be executed by the NFC controller to control the antenna element toemit short-range RF signals. The RF signals may power a passive NFC tag(e.g., a microchip embedded in a sticker or wristband) to transmitstored data to the NFC circuitry 540, or initiate data transfer betweenthe NFC circuitry 540 and another active NFC device (e.g., a smartphoneor an NFC-enabled POS terminal) that is proximate to the platform 500.

The driver circuitry 546 may include software and hardware elements thatoperate to control particular devices that are embedded in the platform500, attached to the platform 500, or otherwise communicatively coupledwith the platform 500. The driver circuitry 546 may include individualdrivers allowing other components of the platform 500 to interact withor control various input/output (I/O) devices that may be presentwithin, or connected to, the platform 500. For example, driver circuitry546 may include a display driver to control and allow access to adisplay device, a touchscreen driver to control and allow access to atouchscreen interface of the platform 500, sensor drivers to obtainsensor readings of sensor circuitry 521 and control and allow access tosensor circuitry 521, EMC drivers to obtain actuator positions of theEMCs 522 and/or control and allow access to the EMCs 522, a cameradriver to control and allow access to an embedded image capture device,audio drivers to control and allow access to one or more audio devices.

The power management integrated circuitry (PMIC) 525 (also referred toas “power management circuitry 525”) may manage power provided tovarious components of the platform 500. In particular, with respect tothe baseband circuitry 510, the PMIC 525 may control power-sourceselection, voltage scaling, battery charging, or DC-to-DC conversion.The PMIC 525 may often be included when the platform 500 is capable ofbeing powered by a battery 530, for example, when the device is includedin a UE 101, 201.

In some embodiments, the PMIC 525 may control, or otherwise be part of,various power saving mechanisms of the platform 500. For example, if theplatform 500 is in an RRC_Connected state, where it is still connectedto the RAN node as it expects to receive traffic shortly, then it mayenter a state known as Discontinuous Reception Mode (DRX) after a periodof inactivity. During this state, the platform 500 may power down forbrief intervals of time and thus save power. If there is no data trafficactivity for an extended period of time, then the platform 500 maytransition off to an RRC Idle state, where it disconnects from thenetwork and does not perform operations such as channel qualityfeedback, handover, etc. The platform 500 goes into a very low powerstate and it performs paging where again it periodically wakes up tolisten to the network and then powers down again. The platform 500 maynot receive data in this state; in order to receive data, it musttransition back to RRC_Connected state. An additional power saving modemay allow a device to be unavailable to the network for periods longerthan a paging interval (ranging from seconds to a few hours). Duringthis time, the device is totally unreachable to the network and maypower down completely. Any data sent during this time incurs a largedelay and it is assumed the delay is acceptable.

A battery 530 may power the platform 500, although in some examples theplatform 500 may be mounted deployed in a fixed location, and may have apower supply coupled to an electrical grid. The battery 530 may be alithium ion battery, a metal-air battery, such as a zinc-air battery, analuminum-air battery, a lithium-air battery, and the like. In someimplementations, such as in V2X applications, the battery 530 may be atypical lead-acid automotive battery.

In some implementations, the battery 530 may be a “smart battery,” whichincludes or is coupled with a Battery Management System (BMS) or batterymonitoring integrated circuitry. The BMS may be included in the platform500 to track the state of charge (SoCh) of the battery 530. The BMS maybe used to monitor other parameters of the battery 530 to providefailure predictions, such as the state of health (SoH) and the state offunction (SoF) of the battery 530. The BMS may communicate theinformation of the battery 530 to the application circuitry 505 or othercomponents of the platform 500. The BMS may also include ananalog-to-digital (ADC) convertor that allows the application circuitry505 to directly monitor the voltage of the battery 530 or the currentflow from the battery 530. The battery parameters may be used todetermine actions that the platform 500 may perform, such astransmission frequency, network operation, sensing frequency, and thelike.

A power block, or other power supply coupled to an electrical grid maybe coupled with the BMS to charge the battery 530. In some examples, thepower block 530 may be replaced with a wireless power receiver to obtainthe power wirelessly, for example, through a loop antenna in thecomputer platform 500. In these examples, a wireless battery chargingcircuit may be included in the BMS. The specific charging circuitschosen may depend on the size of the battery 530, and thus, the currentrequired. The charging may be performed using the Airfuel standardpromulgated by the Airfuel Alliance, the Qi wireless charging standardpromulgated by the Wireless Power Consortium, or the Rezence chargingstandard promulgated by the Alliance for Wireless Power, among others.

User interface circuitry 550 includes various input/output (I/O) devicespresent within, or connected to, the platform 500, and includes one ormore user interfaces designed to enable user interaction with theplatform 500 and/or peripheral component interfaces designed to enableperipheral component interaction with the platform 500. The userinterface circuitry 550 includes input device circuitry and outputdevice circuitry. Input device circuitry includes any physical orvirtual means for accepting an input including, inter alia, one or morephysical or virtual buttons (e.g., a reset button), a physical keyboard,keypad, mouse, touchpad, touchscreen, microphones, scanner, headset,and/or the like. The output device circuitry includes any physical orvirtual means for showing information or otherwise conveyinginformation, such as sensor readings, actuator position(s), or otherlike information. Output device circuitry may include any number and/orcombinations of audio or visual display, including, inter alia, one ormore simple visual outputs/indicators (e.g., binary status indicators(e.g., light emitting diodes (LEDs)) and multi-character visual outputs,or more complex outputs such as display devices or touchscreens (e.g.,Liquid Chrystal Displays (LCD), LED displays, quantum dot displays,projectors, etc.), with the output of characters, graphics, multimediaobjects, and the like being generated or produced from the operation ofthe platform 500. The output device circuitry may also include speakersor other audio emitting devices, printer(s), and/or the like. In someembodiments, the sensor circuitry 521 may be used as the input devicecircuitry (e.g., an image capture device, motion capture device, or thelike) and one or more EMCs may be used as the output device circuitry(e.g., an actuator to provide haptic feedback or the like). In anotherexample, NFC circuitry comprising an NFC controller coupled with anantenna element and a processing device may be included to readelectronic tags and/or connect with another NFC-enabled device.Peripheral component interfaces may include, but are not limited to, anon-volatile memory port, a USB port, an audio jack, a power supplyinterface, etc.

Although not shown, the components of platform 500 may communicate withone another using a suitable bus or interconnect (IX) technology, whichmay include any number of technologies, including ISA, EISA, PCI, PCIx,PCIe, a Time-Trigger Protocol (TTP) system, a FlexRay system, or anynumber of other technologies. The bus/IX may be a proprietary bus/IX,for example, used in a SoC based system. Other bus/IX systems may beincluded, such as an I²C interface, an SPI interface, point-to-pointinterfaces, and a power bus, among others.

FIG. 23 illustrates example components of baseband circuitry 610 andradio front end modules (RFEM) 615 in accordance with variousembodiments. The baseband circuitry 610 corresponds to the basebandcircuitry 410, 466, 470 and 510 of FIGS. 21A, 21B and 22. The RFEM 615corresponds to the RFEM 415, 468, 472, and 515 of FIGS. 21A, 21B, and22. As shown, the RFEMs 615 may include Radio Frequency (RF) circuitry606, front-end module (FEM) circuitry 608, antenna array 611 coupledtogether at least as shown.

The baseband circuitry 610 includes circuitry and/or control logicconfigured to carry out various radio/network protocol and radio controlfunctions that enable communication with one or more radio networks viathe RF circuitry 606. The radio control functions may include, but arenot limited to, signal modulation/demodulation, encoding/decoding, radiofrequency shifting, etc. In some embodiments, modulation/demodulationcircuitry of the baseband circuitry 610 may include Fast-FourierTransform (FFT), precoding, or constellation mapping/demappingfunctionality. In some embodiments, encoding/decoding circuitry of thebaseband circuitry 610 may include convolution, tail-biting convolution,turbo, Viterbi, or Low Density Parity Check (LDPC) encoder/decoderfunctionality. Embodiments of modulation/demodulation andencoder/decoder functionality are not limited to these examples and mayinclude other suitable functionality in other embodiments. The basebandcircuitry 610 is configured to process baseband signals received from areceive signal path of the RF circuitry 606 and to generate basebandsignals for a transmit signal path of the RF circuitry 606. The basebandcircuitry 610 is configured to interface with application circuitry405/505 (see FIGS. 21A, 21B, and 22) for generation and processing ofthe baseband signals and for controlling operations of the RF circuitry606. The baseband circuitry 610 may handle various radio controlfunctions.

The aforementioned circuitry and/or control logic of the basebandcircuitry 610 may include one or more single or multi-core processors.For example, the one or more processors may include a 3G basebandprocessor 604A, a 4G/LTE baseband processor 604B, a 5G/NR basebandprocessor 604C, or some other processor(s) 604D for other existinggenerations, generations in development or to be developed in the future(e.g., sixth generation (6G), etc.), IEEE 802.11 based communications,etc. In other embodiments, some or all of the functionality of basebandprocessors 604A-D may be included in modules stored in the memory 604Gand executed via a Central Processing Unit (CPU) 604E. In otherembodiments, some or all of the functionality of baseband processors604A-D may be provided as hardware accelerators (e.g., FPGAs, ASICs,etc.) loaded with the appropriate bit streams or logic blocks stored inrespective memory cells. In various embodiments, the memory 604G maystore program code of a real-time OS (RTOS), which when executed by theCPU 604E (or other baseband processor), is to cause the CPU 604E (orother baseband processor) to manage resources of the baseband circuitry610, schedule tasks, etc. Examples of the RTOS may include OperatingSystem Embedded (OSE)™ provided by Enea®, Nucleus RTOS™ provided byMentor Graphics®, Versatile Real-Time Executive (VRTX) provided byMentor Graphics®, ThreadX™ provided by Express Logic®, FreeRTOS, REX OSprovided by Qualcomm®, OKL4 provided by Open Kernel (OK) Labs®, or anyother suitable RTOS, such as those discussed herein. In addition, thebaseband circuitry 610 includes one or more audio digital signalprocessor(s) (DSP) 604F. The audio DSP(s) 604F include elements forcompression/decompression and echo cancellation and may include othersuitable processing elements in other embodiments.

In some embodiments, each of the processors 604A-604E include respectivememory interfaces to send/receive data to/from the memory 604G. Thebaseband circuitry 610 may further include one or more interfaces tocommunicatively couple to other circuitries/devices, such as aninterface to send/receive data to/from memory external to the basebandcircuitry 610; an application circuitry interface to send/receive datato/from the application circuitry 405/505 of FIGS. 21-23); an RFcircuitry interface to send/receive data to/from RF circuitry 606 ofFIG. 23; a wireless hardware connectivity interface to send/receive datato/from one or more wireless hardware elements (e.g., Near FieldCommunication (NFC) components, Bluetooth®/Bluetooth® Low Energycomponents, Wi-Fi® components, and/or the like); and a power managementinterface to send/receive power or control signals to/from the PMIC 525.

In alternate embodiments (which may be combined with the above describedembodiments), baseband circuitry 610 comprises one or more digitalbaseband systems, which are coupled with one another via an interconnectsubsystem and to a CPU subsystem, an audio subsystem, and an interfacesubsystem. The digital baseband subsystems may also be coupled to adigital baseband interface and a mixed-signal baseband subsystem viaanother interconnect subsystem. Each of the interconnect subsystems mayinclude a bus system, point-to-point connections, network-on-chip (NOC)structures, and/or some other suitable bus or interconnect technology,such as those discussed herein. The audio subsystem may include DSPcircuitry, buffer memory, program memory, speech processing acceleratorcircuitry, data converter circuitry such as analog-to-digital anddigital-to-analog converter circuitry, analog circuitry including one ormore of amplifiers and filters, and/or other like components. In anaspect of the present disclosure, baseband circuitry 610 may includeprotocol processing circuitry with one or more instances of controlcircuitry (not shown) to provide control functions for the digitalbaseband circuitry and/or radio frequency circuitry (e.g., the radiofront end modules 615).

Although not shown by FIG. 23, in some embodiments, the basebandcircuitry 610 includes individual processing device(s) to operate one ormore wireless communication protocols (e.g., a “multi-protocol basebandprocessor” or “protocol processing circuitry”) and individual processingdevice(s) to implement PHY layer functions. In these embodiments, thePHY layer functions include the aforementioned radio control functions.In these embodiments, the protocol processing circuitry operates orimplements various protocol layers/entities of one or more wirelesscommunication protocols. In a first example, the protocol processingcircuitry may operate LTE protocol entities and/or 5G/NR protocolentities when the baseband circuitry 610 and/or RF circuitry 606 arepart of mmWave communication circuitry or some other suitable cellularcommunication circuitry. In the first example, the protocol processingcircuitry would operate MAC, RLC, PDCP, SDAP, RRC, and NAS functions. Ina second example, the protocol processing circuitry may operate one ormore IEEE-based protocols when the baseband circuitry 610 and/or RFcircuitry 606 are part of a 802.11 based communication system. In thesecond example, the protocol processing circuitry would operate 802.11based MAC and logical link control (LLC) functions. The protocolprocessing circuitry may include one or more memory structures (e.g.,604G) to store program code and data for operating the protocolfunctions, as well as one or more processing cores to execute theprogram code and perform various operations using the data. The basebandcircuitry 610 may also support radio communications for more than onewireless protocol.

The various hardware elements of the baseband circuitry 610 discussedherein may be implemented, for example, as a solder-down substrateincluding one or more integrated circuits (ICs), a single packaged ICsoldered to a main circuit board or a multi-chip module containing twoor more ICs. In one example, the components of the baseband circuitry610 may be suitably combined in a single chip or chipset, or disposed ona same circuit board. In another example, some or all of the constituentcomponents of the baseband circuitry 610 and RF circuitry 606 may beimplemented together such as, for example, a system on a chip (SoC) orSystem-in-Package (SiP). In another example, some or all of theconstituent components of the baseband circuitry 610 may be implementedas a separate SoC that is communicatively coupled with and RF circuitry606 (or multiple instances of RF circuitry 606). In yet another example,some or all of the constituent components of the baseband circuitry 610and the application circuitry 405/505 may be implemented together asindividual SoCs mounted to a same circuit board (e.g., a “multi-chippackage”).

In some embodiments, the baseband circuitry 610 may provide forcommunication compatible with one or more radio technologies. Forexample, in some embodiments, the baseband circuitry 610 may supportcommunication with an E-UTRAN or other WMAN, a WLAN, a WPAN. Embodimentsin which the baseband circuitry 610 is configured to support radiocommunications of more than one wireless protocol may be referred to asmulti-mode baseband circuitry.

RF circuitry 606 may enable communication with wireless networks usingmodulated electromagnetic radiation through a non-solid medium. Invarious embodiments, the RF circuitry 606 may include switches, filters,amplifiers, etc. to facilitate the communication with the wirelessnetwork. RF circuitry 606 may include a receive signal path, which mayinclude circuitry to down-convert RF signals received from the FEMcircuitry 608 and provide baseband signals to the baseband circuitry610. RF circuitry 606 may also include a transmit signal path, which mayinclude circuitry to up-convert baseband signals provided by thebaseband circuitry 610 and provide RF output signals to the FEMcircuitry 608 for transmission.

In some embodiments, the receive signal path of the RF circuitry 606 mayinclude mixer circuitry 606 a, amplifier circuitry 606 b and filtercircuitry 606 c. In some embodiments, the transmit signal path of the RFcircuitry 606 may include filter circuitry 606 c and mixer circuitry 606a. RF circuitry 606 may also include synthesizer circuitry 606 d forsynthesizing a frequency for use by the mixer circuitry 606 a of thereceive signal path and the transmit signal path. In some embodiments,the mixer circuitry 606 a of the receive signal path may be configuredto down-convert RF signals received from the FEM circuitry 608 based onthe synthesized frequency provided by synthesizer circuitry 606 d. Theamplifier circuitry 606 b may be configured to amplify thedown-converted signals and the filter circuitry 606 c may be a low-passfilter (LPF) or band-pass filter (BPF) configured to remove unwantedsignals from the down-converted signals to generate output basebandsignals. Output baseband signals may be provided to the basebandcircuitry 610 for further processing. In some embodiments, the outputbaseband signals may be zero-frequency baseband signals, although thisis not a requirement. In some embodiments, mixer circuitry 606 a of thereceive signal path may comprise passive mixers, although the scope ofthe embodiments is not limited in this respect.

In some embodiments, the mixer circuitry 606 a of the transmit signalpath may be configured to up-convert input baseband signals based on thesynthesized frequency provided by the synthesizer circuitry 606 d togenerate RF output signals for the FEM circuitry 608. The basebandsignals may be provided by the baseband circuitry 610 and may befiltered by filter circuitry 606 c.

In some embodiments, the mixer circuitry 606 a of the receive signalpath and the mixer circuitry 606 a of the transmit signal path mayinclude two or more mixers and may be arranged for quadraturedownconversion and upconversion, respectively. In some embodiments, themixer circuitry 606 a of the receive signal path and the mixer circuitry606 a of the transmit signal path may include two or more mixers and maybe arranged for image rejection (e.g., Hartley image rejection). In someembodiments, the mixer circuitry 606 a of the receive signal path andthe mixer circuitry 606 a of the transmit signal path may be arrangedfor direct downconversion and direct upconversion, respectively. In someembodiments, the mixer circuitry 606 a of the receive signal path andthe mixer circuitry 606 a of the transmit signal path may be configuredfor super-heterodyne operation.

In some embodiments, the output baseband signals and the input basebandsignals may be analog baseband signals, although the scope of theembodiments is not limited in this respect. In some alternateembodiments, the output baseband signals and the input baseband signalsmay be digital baseband signals. In these alternate embodiments, the RFcircuitry 606 may include analog-to-digital converter (ADC) anddigital-to-analog converter (DAC) circuitry and the baseband circuitry610 may include a digital baseband interface to communicate with the RFcircuitry 606.

In some dual-mode embodiments, a separate radio IC circuitry may beprovided for processing signals for each spectrum, although the scope ofthe embodiments is not limited in this respect.

In some embodiments, the synthesizer circuitry 606 d may be afractional-N synthesizer or a fractional N/N+1 synthesizer, although thescope of the embodiments is not limited in this respect as other typesof frequency synthesizers may be suitable. For example, synthesizercircuitry 606 d may be a delta-sigma synthesizer, a frequencymultiplier, or a synthesizer comprising a phase-locked loop with afrequency divider.

The synthesizer circuitry 606 d may be configured to synthesize anoutput frequency for use by the mixer circuitry 606 a of the RFcircuitry 606 based on a frequency input and a divider control input. Insome embodiments, the synthesizer circuitry 606 d may be a fractionalN/N+1 synthesizer.

In some embodiments, frequency input may be provided by a voltagecontrolled oscillator (VCO), although that is not a requirement. Dividercontrol input may be provided by either the baseband circuitry 610 orthe application circuitry 405/505 depending on the desired outputfrequency. In some embodiments, a divider control input (e.g., N) may bedetermined from a look-up table based on a channel indicated by theapplication circuitry 405/505.

Synthesizer circuitry 606 d of the RF circuitry 606 may include adivider, a delay-locked loop (DLL), a multiplexer and a phaseaccumulator. In some embodiments, the divider may be a dual modulusdivider (DMD) and the phase accumulator may be a digital phaseaccumulator (DPA). In some embodiments, the DMD may be configured todivide the input signal by either N or N+1 (e.g., based on a carry out)to provide a fractional division ratio. In some example embodiments, theDLL may include a set of cascaded, tunable, delay elements, a phasedetector, a charge pump and a D-type flip-flop. In these embodiments,the delay elements may be configured to break a VCO period up into Ndequal packets of phase, where Nd is the number of delay elements in thedelay line. In this way, the DLL provides negative feedback to helpensure that the total delay through the delay line is one VCO cycle.

In some embodiments, synthesizer circuitry 606 d may be configured togenerate a carrier frequency as the output frequency, while in otherembodiments, the output frequency may be a multiple of the carrierfrequency (e.g., twice the carrier frequency, four times the carrierfrequency) and used in conjunction with quadrature generator and dividercircuitry to generate multiple signals at the carrier frequency withmultiple different phases with respect to each other. In someembodiments, the output frequency may be a LO frequency (fLO). In someembodiments, the RF circuitry 606 may include an IQ/polar converter.

FEM circuitry 608 may include a receive signal path, which may includecircuitry configured to operate on RF signals received from antennaarray 611, amplify the received signals and provide the amplifiedversions of the received signals to the RF circuitry 606 for furtherprocessing. FEM circuitry 608 may also include a transmit signal path,which may include circuitry configured to amplify signals fortransmission provided by the RF circuitry 606 for transmission by one ormore of antenna elements of antenna array 611. In various embodiments,the amplification through the transmit or receive signal paths may bedone solely in the RF circuitry 606, solely in the FEM circuitry 608, orin both the RF circuitry 606 and the FEM circuitry 608.

In some embodiments, the FEM circuitry 608 may include a TX/RX switch toswitch between transmit mode and receive mode operation. The FEMcircuitry 608 may include a receive signal path and a transmit signalpath. The receive signal path of the FEM circuitry 608 may include anLNA to amplify received RF signals and provide the amplified received RFsignals as an output (e.g., to the RF circuitry 606). The transmitsignal path of the FEM circuitry 608 may include a power amplifier (PA)to amplify input RF signals (e.g., provided by RF circuitry 606), andone or more filters to generate RF signals for subsequent transmissionby one or more antenna elements of the antenna array 611.

The antenna array 611 comprises one or more antenna elements, each ofwhich is configured convert electrical signals into radio waves totravel through the air and to convert received radio waves intoelectrical signals. For example, digital baseband signals provided bythe baseband circuitry 610 is converted into analog RF signals (e.g.,modulated waveform) that will be amplified and transmitted via theantenna elements of the antenna array 611 including one or more antennaelements (not shown). The antenna elements may be omnidirectional,direction, or a combination thereof. The antenna elements may be formedin a multitude of arranges as are known and/or discussed herein. Theantenna array 611 may comprise microstrip antennas or printed antennasthat are fabricated on the surface of one or more printed circuitboards. The antenna array 611 may be formed in as a patch of metal foil(e.g., a patch antenna) in a variety of shapes, and may be coupled withthe RF circuitry 606 and/or FEM circuitry 608 using metal transmissionlines or the like.

Processors of the application circuitry 405/505 and processors of thebaseband circuitry 610 may be used to execute elements of one or moreinstances of a protocol stack. For example, processors of the basebandcircuitry 610, alone or in combination, may be used execute Layer 3,Layer 2, or Layer 1 functionality, while processors of the applicationcircuitry 405/505 may utilize data (e.g., packet data) received fromthese layers and further execute Layer 4 functionality (e.g., TCP andUDP layers). As referred to herein, Layer 3 may comprise a RRC layer,described in further detail below. As referred to herein, Layer 2 maycomprise a MAC layer, an RLC layer, and a PDCP layer, described infurther detail below. As referred to herein, Layer 1 may comprise a PHYlayer of a UE/RAN node, described in further detail below.

FIG. 24 illustrates various protocol functions that may be implementedin a wireless communication device according to various embodiments. Inparticular, FIG. 24 includes an arrangement 700 showing interconnectionsbetween various protocol layers/entities. The following description ofFIG. 24 is provided for various protocol layers/entities that operate inconjunction with the 5G/NR system standards and LTE system standards,but some or all of the aspects of FIG. 24 may be applicable to otherwireless communication network systems as well.

The protocol layers of arrangement 700 may include one or more of PHY710, MAC 720, RLC 730, PDCP 740, SDAP 747, RRC 755, and NAS layer 757,in addition to other higher layer functions not illustrated. Theprotocol layers may include one or more service access points (e.g.,items 759, 756, 750, 749, 745, 735, 725, and 715 in FIG. 24) that mayprovide communication between two or more protocol layers.

The PHY 710 may transmit and receive physical layer signals 705 that maybe received from or transmitted to one or more other communicationdevices. The physical layer signals 705 may comprise one or morephysical channels, such as those discussed herein. The PHY 710 mayfurther perform link adaptation or adaptive modulation and coding (AMC),power control, cell search (e.g., for initial synchronization andhandover purposes), and other measurements used by higher layers, suchas the RRC 755. The PHY 710 may still further perform error detection onthe transport channels, forward error correction (FEC) coding/decodingof the transport channels, modulation/demodulation of physical channels,interleaving, rate matching, mapping onto physical channels, and MIMOantenna processing. In embodiments, an instance of PHY 710 may processrequests from and provide indications to an instance of MAC 720 via oneor more PHY-SAP 715. According to some embodiments, requests andindications communicated via PHY-SAP 715 may comprise one or moretransport channels.

Instance(s) of MAC 720 may process requests from, and provideindications to, an instance of RLC 730 via one or more MAC-SAPs 725.These requests and indications communicated via the MAC-SAP 725 maycomprise one or more logical channels. The MAC 720 may perform mappingbetween the logical channels and transport channels, multiplexing of MACSDUs from one or more logical channels onto TBs to be delivered to PHY710 via the transport channels, de-multiplexing MAC SDUs to one or morelogical channels from TBs delivered from the PHY 710 via transportchannels, multiplexing MAC SDUs onto TBs, scheduling informationreporting, error correction through HARQ, and logical channelprioritization.

Instance(s) of RLC 730 may process requests from and provide indicationsto an instance of PDCP 740 via one or more radio link control serviceaccess points (RLC-SAP) 735. These requests and indications communicatedvia RLC-SAP 735 may comprise one or more RLC channels. The RLC 730 mayoperate in a plurality of modes of operation, including: TransparentMode™, Unacknowledged Mode (UM), and Acknowledged Mode (AM). The RLC 730may execute transfer of upper layer protocol data units (PDUs), errorcorrection through automatic repeat request (ARQ) for AM data transfers,and concatenation, segmentation and reassembly of RLC SDUs for UM and AMdata transfers. The RLC 730 may also execute re-segmentation of RLC dataPDUs for AM data transfers, reorder RLC data PDUs for UM and AM datatransfers, detect duplicate data for UM and AM data transfers, discardRLC SDUs for UM and AM data transfers, detect protocol errors for AMdata transfers, and perform RLC re-establishment.

Instance(s) of PDCP 740 may process requests from and provideindications to instance(s) of RRC 755 and/or instance(s) of SDAP 747 viaone or more packet data convergence protocol service access points(PDCP-SAP) 745. These requests and indications communicated via PDCP-SAP745 may comprise one or more radio bearers. The PDCP 740 may executeheader compression and decompression of IP data, maintain PDCP SequenceNumbers (SNs), perform in-sequence delivery of upper layer PDUs atre-establishment of lower layers, eliminate duplicates of lower layerSDUs at re-establishment of lower layers for radio bearers mapped on RLCAM, cipher and decipher control plane data, perform integrity protectionand integrity verification of control plane data, control timer-baseddiscard of data, and perform security operations (e.g., ciphering,deciphering, integrity protection, integrity verification, etc.).

Instance(s) of SDAP 747 may process requests from and provideindications to one or more higher layer protocol entities via one ormore SDAP-SAP 749. These requests and indications communicated viaSDAP-SAP 749 may comprise one or more QoS flows. The SDAP 747 may mapQoS flows to DRBs, and vice versa, and may also mark QFIs in DL and ULpackets. A single SDAP entity 747 may be configured for an individualPDU session. In the UL direction, the NG-RAN 110 may control the mappingof QoS Flows to DRB(s) in two different ways, reflective mapping orexplicit mapping. For reflective mapping, the SDAP 747 of a UE 101 maymonitor the QFIs of the DL packets for each DRB, and may apply the samemapping for packets flowing in the UL direction. For a DRB, the SDAP 747of the UE 101 may map the UL packets belonging to the QoS flows(s)corresponding to the QoS flow ID(s) and PDU session observed in the DLpackets for that DRB. To enable reflective mapping, the NG-RAN 310 maymark DL packets over the Uu interface with a QoS flow ID. The explicitmapping may involve the RRC 755 configuring the SDAP 747 with anexplicit QoS flow to DRB mapping rule, which may be stored and followedby the SDAP 747. In embodiments, the SDAP 747 may only be used in NRimplementations and may not be used in LTE implementations.

The RRC 755 may configure, via one or more management service accesspoints (M-SAP), aspects of one or more protocol layers, which mayinclude one or more instances of PHY 710, MAC 720, RLC 730, PDCP 740 andSDAP 747. In embodiments, an instance of RRC 755 may process requestsfrom and provide indications to one or more NAS entities 757 via one ormore RRC-SAPs 756. The main services and functions of the RRC 755 mayinclude broadcast of system information (e.g., included in MIBs or SIBsrelated to the NAS), broadcast of system information related to theaccess stratum (AS), paging, establishment, maintenance and release ofan RRC connection between the UE 101 and RAN 110 (e.g., RRC connectionpaging, RRC connection establishment, RRC connection modification, andRRC connection release), establishment, configuration, maintenance andrelease of point to point Radio Bearers, security functions includingkey management, inter-RAT mobility, and measurement configuration for UEmeasurement reporting. The MIBs and SIBs may comprise one or more IEs,which may each comprise individual data fields or data structures.

The NAS 757 may form the highest stratum of the control plane betweenthe UE 101 and the AMF 321. The NAS 757 may support the mobility of theUEs 101 and the session management procedures to establish and maintainIP connectivity between the UE 101 and a P-GW in LTE systems.

According to various embodiments, one or more protocol entities ofarrangement 700 may be implemented in UEs 101, RAN nodes 111, AMF 321 inNR implementations or MME 221 in LTE implementations, UPF 302 in NRimplementations or S-GW 222 and P-GW 223 in LTE implementations, or thelike to be used for control plane or user plane communications protocolstack between the aforementioned devices. In such embodiments, one ormore protocol entities that may be implemented in one or more of UE 101,gNB 111, AMF 321, etc. may communicate with a respective peer protocolentity that may be implemented in or on another device using theservices of respective lower layer protocol entities to perform suchcommunication. In some embodiments, a gNB-CU of the gNB 111 may host theRRC 755, SDAP 747, and PDCP 740 of the gNB that controls the operationof one or more gNB-DUs, and the gNB-DUs of the gNB 111 may each host theRLC 730, MAC 720, and PHY 710 of the gNB 111.

In a first example, a control plane protocol stack may comprise, inorder from highest layer to lowest layer, NAS 757, RRC 755, PDCP 740,RLC 730, MAC 720, and PHY 710. In this example, upper layers 760 may bebuilt on top of the NAS 757, which includes an IP layer 761, an SCTP762, and an application layer signaling protocol (AP) 763.

In NR implementations, the AP 763 may be an NG application protocollayer (NGAP or NG-AP) 763 for the NG interface 113 defined between theNG-RAN node 111 and the AMF 321, or the AP 763 may be an Xn applicationprotocol layer (XnAP or Xn-AP) 763 for the Xn interface 112 that isdefined between two or more RAN nodes 111.

The NG-AP 763 may support the functions of the NG interface 113 and maycomprise Elementary Procedures (EPs). An NG-AP EP may be a unit ofinteraction between the NG-RAN node 111 and the AMF 321. The NG-AP 763services may comprise two groups: UE-associated services (e.g., servicesrelated to a UE 101) and non-UE-associated services (e.g., servicesrelated to the whole NG interface instance between the NG-RAN node 111and AMF 321). These services may include functions including, but notlimited to: a paging function for the sending of paging requests toNG-RAN nodes 111 involved in a particular paging area; a UE contextmanagement function for allowing the AMF 321 to establish, modify,and/or release a UE context in the AMF 321 and the NG-RAN node 111; amobility function for UEs 101 in ECM-CONNECTED mode for intra-system HOsto support mobility within NG-RAN and inter-system HOs to supportmobility from/to EPS systems; a NAS Signaling Transport function fortransporting or rerouting NAS messages between UE 101 and AMF 321; a NASnode selection function for determining an association between the AMF321 and the UE 101; NG interface management function(s) for setting upthe NG interface and monitoring for errors over the NG interface; awarning message transmission function for providing means to transferwarning messages via NG interface or cancel ongoing broadcast of warningmessages; a Configuration Transfer function for requesting andtransferring of RAN configuration information (e.g., SON information,performance measurement (PM) data, etc.) between two RAN nodes 111 viaCN 120; and/or other like functions.

The XnAP 763 may support the functions of the Xn interface 112 and maycomprise XnAP basic mobility procedures and XnAP global procedures. TheXnAP basic mobility procedures may comprise procedures used to handle UEmobility within the NG RAN 111 (or E-UTRAN 210), such as handoverpreparation and cancellation procedures, SN Status Transfer procedures,UE context retrieval and UE context release procedures, RAN pagingprocedures, dual connectivity related procedures, and the like. The XnAPglobal procedures may comprise procedures that are not related to aspecific UE 101, such as Xn interface setup and reset procedures, NG-RANupdate procedures, cell activation procedures, and the like.

In LTE implementations, the AP 763 may be an S1 Application Protocollayer (S1-AP) 763 for the S1 interface 113 defined between an E-UTRANnode 111 and an MME, or the AP 763 may be an X2 application protocollayer (X2AP or X2-AP) 763 for the X2 interface 112 that is definedbetween two or more E-UTRAN nodes 111.

The S1 Application Protocol layer (S1-AP) 763 may support the functionsof the S1 interface, and similar to the NG-AP discussed previously, theS1-AP may comprise S1-AP EPs. An S1-AP EP may be a unit of interactionbetween the E-UTRAN node 111 and an MME 221 within an LTE CN 120. TheS1-AP 763 services may comprise two groups: UE-associated services andnon UE-associated services. These services perform functions including,but not limited to: E-UTRAN Radio Access Bearer (E-RAB) management, UEcapability indication, mobility, NAS signaling transport, RANInformation Management (RIM), and configuration transfer.

The X2AP 763 may support the functions of the X2 interface 112 and maycomprise X2AP basic mobility procedures and X2AP global procedures. TheX2AP basic mobility procedures may comprise procedures used to handle UEmobility within the E-UTRAN 120, such as handover preparation andcancellation procedures, SN Status Transfer procedures, UE contextretrieval and UE context release procedures, RAN paging procedures, dualconnectivity related procedures, and the like. The X2AP globalprocedures may comprise procedures that are not related to a specific UE101, such as X2 interface setup and reset procedures, load indicationprocedures, error indication procedures, cell activation procedures, andthe like.

The SCTP layer (alternatively referred to as the SCTP/IP layer) 762 mayprovide guaranteed delivery of application layer messages (e.g., NGAP orXnAP messages in NR implementations, or S1-AP or X2AP messages in LTEimplementations). The SCTP 762 may ensure reliable delivery of signalingmessages between the RAN node 111 and the AMF 321/MME 221 based, inpart, on the IP protocol, supported by the IP 761. The Internet Protocollayer (IP) 761 may be used to perform packet addressing and routingfunctionality. In some implementations the IP layer 761 may usepoint-to-point transmission to deliver and convey PDUs. In this regard,the RAN node 111 may comprise L2 and L1 layer communication links (e.g.,wired or wireless) with the MME/AMF to exchange information.

In a second example, a user plane protocol stack may comprise, in orderfrom highest layer to lowest layer, SDAP 747, PDCP 740, RLC 730, MAC720, and PHY 710. The user plane protocol stack may be used forcommunication between the UE 101, the RAN node 111, and UPF 302 in NRimplementations or an S-GW 222 and P-GW 223 in LTE implementations. Inthis example, upper layers 751 may be built on top of the SDAP 747, andmay include a user datagram protocol (UDP) and IP security layer(UDP/IP) 752, a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) Tunneling Protocolfor the user plane layer (GTP-U) 753, and a User Plane PDU layer (UPPDU) 763.

The transport network layer 754 (also referred to as a “transportlayer”) may be built on IP transport, and the GTP-U 753 may be used ontop of the UDP/IP layer 752 (comprising a UDP layer and IP layer) tocarry user plane PDUs (UP-PDUs). The IP layer (also referred to as the“Internet layer”) may be used to perform packet addressing and routingfunctionality. The IP layer may assign IP addresses to user data packetsin any of IPv4, IPv6, or PPP formats, for example.

The GTP-U 753 may be used for carrying user data within the GPRS corenetwork and between the radio access network and the core network. Theuser data transported can be packets in any of IPv4, IPv6, or PPPformats, for example. The UDP/IP 752 may provide checksums for dataintegrity, port numbers for addressing different functions at the sourceand destination, and encryption and authentication on the selected dataflows. The RAN node 111 and the S-GW 222 may utilize an S1-U interfaceto exchange user plane data via a protocol stack comprising an L1 layer(e.g., PHY 710), an L2 layer (e.g., MAC 720, RLC 730, PDCP 740, and/orSDAP 747), the UDP/IP layer 752, and the GTP-U 753. The S-GW 222 and theP-GW 223 may utilize an S5/S8a interface to exchange user plane data viaa protocol stack comprising an L1 layer, an L2 layer, the UDP/IP layer752, and the GTP-U 753. As discussed previously, NAS protocols maysupport the mobility of the UE 101 and the session management proceduresto establish and maintain IP connectivity between the UE 101 and theP-GW 223.

Moreover, although not shown by FIG. 24, an application layer may bepresent above the AP 763 and/or the transport network layer 754. Theapplication layer may be a layer in which a user of the UE 101, RAN node111, or other network element interacts with software applications beingexecuted, for example, by application circuitry 405 or applicationcircuitry 505, respectively. The application layer may also provide oneor more interfaces for software applications to interact withcommunications systems of the UE 101 or RAN node 111, such as thebaseband circuitry 610. In some implementations the IP layer and/or theapplication layer may provide the same or similar functionality aslayers 5-7, or portions thereof, of the Open Systems Interconnection(OSI) model (e.g., OSI Layer 7—the application layer, OSI Layer 6—thepresentation layer, and OSI Layer 5—the session layer).

FIG. 25 illustrates components of a core network in accordance withvarious embodiments. The components of the CN 220 may be implemented inone physical node or separate physical nodes including components toread and execute instructions from a machine-readable orcomputer-readable medium (e.g., a non-transitory machine-readablestorage medium). In embodiments, the components of CN 320 may beimplemented in a same or similar manner as discussed herein with regardto the components of CN 220. In some embodiments, NFV is utilized tovirtualize any or all of the above-described network node functions viaexecutable instructions stored in one or more computer-readable storagemediums (described in further detail below). A logical instantiation ofthe CN 220 may be referred to as a network slice 801, and individuallogical instantiations of the CN 220 may provide specific networkcapabilities and network characteristics. A logical instantiation of aportion of the CN 220 may be referred to as a network sub-slice 802(e.g., the network sub-slice 802 is shown to include the P-GW 223 andthe PCRF 226).

As used herein, the terms “instantiate,” “instantiation,” and the likemay refer to the creation of an instance, and an “instance” may refer toa concrete occurrence of an object, which may occur, for example, duringexecution of program code. A network instance may refer to informationidentifying a domain, which may be used for traffic detection androuting in case of different IP domains or overlapping IP addresses. Anetwork slice instance may refer to a set of network functions (NFs)instances and the resources (e.g., compute, storage, and networkingresources) required to deploy the network slice.

With respect to 5G systems (see, e.g., FIG. 20), a network slice alwayscomprises a RAN part and a CN part. The support of network slicingrelies on the principle that traffic for different slices is handled bydifferent PDU sessions. The network can realize the different networkslices by scheduling and also by providing different L1/L2configurations. The UE 301 provides assistance information for networkslice selection in an appropriate RRC message, if it has been providedby NAS. While the network can support large number of slices, the UEneed not support more than 8 slices simultaneously.

A network slice may include the CN 320 control plane and user plane NFs,NG-RANs 310 in a serving PLMN, and a N3IWF functions in the servingPLMN. Individual network slices may have different S-NSSAI and/or mayhave different SSTs. NSSAI includes one or more S-NSSAIs, and eachnetwork slice is uniquely identified by an S-NSSAI. Network slices maydiffer for supported features and network functions optimizations,and/or multiple network slice instances may deliver the sameservice/features but for different groups of UEs 301 (e.g., enterpriseusers). For example, individual network slices may deliver differentcommitted service(s) and/or may be dedicated to a particular customer orenterprise. In this example, each network slice may have differentS-NSSAIs with the same SST but with different slice differentiators.Additionally, a single UE may be served with one or more network sliceinstances simultaneously via a 5G AN and associated with eight differentS-NSSAIs. Moreover, an AMF 321 instance serving an individual UE 301 maybelong to each of the network slice instances serving that UE.

Network Slicing in the NG-RAN 310 involves RAN slice awareness. RANslice awareness includes differentiated handling of traffic fordifferent network slices, which have been pre-configured. Sliceawareness in the NG-RAN 310 is introduced at the PDU session level byindicating the S-NSSAI corresponding to a PDU session in all signalingthat includes PDU session resource information. How the NG-RAN 310supports the slice enabling in terms of NG-RAN functions (e.g., the setof network functions that comprise each slice) is implementationdependent. The NG-RAN 310 selects the RAN part of the network sliceusing assistance information provided by the UE 301 or the 5GC 320,which unambiguously identifies one or more of the pre-configured networkslices in the PLMN. The NG-RAN 310 also supports resource management andpolicy enforcement between slices as per SLAs. A single NG-RAN node maysupport multiple slices, and the NG-RAN 310 may also apply anappropriate RRM policy for the SLA in place to each supported slice. TheNG-RAN 310 may also support QoS differentiation within a slice.

The NG-RAN 310 may also use the UE assistance information for theselection of an AMF 321 during an initial attach, if available. TheNG-RAN 310 uses the assistance information for routing the initial NASto an AMF 321. If the NG-RAN 310 is unable to select an AMF 321 usingthe assistance information, or the UE 301 does not provide any suchinformation, the NG-RAN 310 sends the NAS signaling to a default AMF321, which may be among a pool of AMFs 321. For subsequent accesses, theUE 301 provides a temp ID, which is assigned to the UE 301 by the 5GC320, to enable the NG-RAN 310 to route the NAS message to theappropriate AMF 321 as long as the temp ID is valid. The NG-RAN 310 isaware of, and can reach, the AMF 321 that is associated with the tempID. Otherwise, the method for initial attach applies.

The NG-RAN 310 supports resource isolation between slices. NG-RAN 310resource isolation may be achieved by means of RRM policies andprotection mechanisms that should avoid that shortage of sharedresources if one slice breaks the service level agreement for anotherslice. In some implementations, it is possible to fully dedicate NG-RAN310 resources to a certain slice. How NG-RAN 310 supports resourceisolation is implementation dependent.

Some slices may be available only in part of the network. Awareness inthe NG-RAN 310 of the slices supported in the cells of its neighbors maybe beneficial for inter-frequency mobility in connected mode. The sliceavailability may not change within the UE's registration area. TheNG-RAN 310 and the 5GC 320 are responsible to handle a service requestfor a slice that may or may not be available in a given area. Admissionor rejection of access to a slice may depend on factors such as supportfor the slice, availability of resources, support of the requestedservice by NG-RAN 310.

The UE 301 may be associated with multiple network slicessimultaneously. In case the UE 301 is associated with multiple slicessimultaneously, only one signaling connection is maintained, and forintra-frequency cell reselection, the UE 301 tries to camp on the bestcell. For inter-frequency cell reselection, dedicated priorities can beused to control the frequency on which the UE 301 camps. The 5GC 320 isto validate that the UE 301 has the rights to access a network slice.Prior to receiving an Initial Context Setup Request message, the NG-RAN310 may be allowed to apply some provisional/local policies, based onawareness of a particular slice that the UE 301 is requesting to access.During the initial context setup, the NG-RAN 310 is informed of theslice for which resources are being requested.

NFV architectures and infrastructures may be used to virtualize one ormore NFs, alternatively performed by proprietary hardware, onto physicalresources comprising a combination of industry-standard server hardware,storage hardware, or switches. In other words, NFV systems can be usedto execute virtual or reconfigurable implementations of one or more EPCcomponents/functions.

FIG. 26 is a block diagram illustrating components, according to someexample embodiments, able to read instructions from a machine-readableor computer-readable medium (e.g., a non-transitory machine-readablestorage medium) and perform any one or more of the methodologiesdiscussed herein. Specifically, FIG. 26 shows a diagrammaticrepresentation of hardware resources 900 including one or moreprocessors (or processor cores) 910, one or more memory/storage devices920, and one or more communication resources 930, each of which may becommunicatively coupled via a bus 940. For embodiments where nodevirtualization (e.g., NFV) is utilized, a hypervisor 902 may be executedto provide an execution environment for one or more networkslices/sub-slices to utilize the hardware resources 900.

The processors 910 may include, for example, a processor 912 and aprocessor 914. The processor(s) 910 may be, for example, a centralprocessing unit (CPU), a reduced instruction set computing (RISC)processor, a complex instruction set computing (CISC) processor, agraphics processing unit (GPU), a DSP such as a baseband processor, anASIC, an FPGA, a radio-frequency integrated circuit (RFIC), anotherprocessor (including those discussed herein), or any suitablecombination thereof.

The memory/storage devices 920 may include main memory, disk storage, orany suitable combination thereof. The memory/storage devices 920 mayinclude, but are not limited to, any type of volatile or nonvolatilememory such as dynamic random access memory (DRAM), static random accessmemory (SRAM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM),electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), Flashmemory, solid-state storage, etc.

The communication resources 930 may include interconnection or networkinterface components or other suitable devices to communicate with oneor more peripheral devices 904 or one or more databases 906 via anetwork 908. For example, the communication resources 930 may includewired communication components (e.g., for coupling via USB), cellularcommunication components, NFC components, Bluetooth® (or Bluetooth® LowEnergy) components, Wi-Fi® components, and other communicationcomponents.

Instructions 950 may comprise software, a program, an application, anapplet, an app, or other executable code for causing at least any of theprocessors 910 to perform any one or more of the methodologies discussedherein. The instructions 950 may reside, completely or partially, withinat least one of the processors 910 (e.g., within the processor's cachememory), the memory/storage devices 920, or any suitable combinationthereof. Furthermore, any portion of the instructions 950 may betransferred to the hardware resources 900 from any combination of theperipheral devices 904 or the databases 906. Accordingly, the memory ofprocessors 910, the memory/storage devices 920, the peripheral devices904, and the databases 906 are examples of computer-readable andmachine-readable media.

Example Methods and Procedures

FIG. 27 depicts a flow diagram of an example method 1000 of accessing ashared communication channel by multiple communication systems accordingto embodiments. In some embodiments, the electronic device(s),network(s), system(s), chip(s) or component(s), or portions orimplementations thereof, of FIGS. 18-26, or some other figure herein,may be configured to perform the method of FIG. 27 and/or one or moreother processes, techniques, or methods as described herein, or portionsthereof.

For example, at 1002, the method 1000 may include accessing or causingto access, by a first communication system, a communication frequencychannel while a second communication system is already using thechannel. The first communication system is different from the secondcommunication system.

In some implementations, for example, the frequency channel has abandwidth of 10 MHz.

In some implementations, for example, the first communication system isone of 3GPP LTE C-V2X, 3GPP NR C-V2X or IEEE 802 based DSRC or ITS-G5 orany respective evolution of these systems.

In some implementations, for example, the second communication system isone of GPP LTE C-V2X, 3GPP NR C-V2X or IEEE 802 based DSRC or ITS-G5, orany respective evolution of these systems.

In some implementations, for example, a pre-determined fraction of timeof the channel is reserved for the first communication system.

In some implementations, for example, a pre-determined fraction of timeof the channel is reserved for the second communication system.

In some implementations, for example, when the fraction of time reservedfor the first communication system ends, then a fraction of timereserved for a second communication system starts.

In some implementations, for example, there is a pause period betweenthe fraction of time reserved for the first communication system and thefraction of time reserved for the second communication system.

In some implementations, for example, when the fraction of time reservedfor the second communication system ends, then the fraction of timereserved for the first communication system begins again.

In some implementations, for example, when the fraction of time reservedfor a second communication system ends, then the fraction of timereserved for a first communication system begins again, with a pauseperiod between the two fractions of time.

In some implementations, for example, the method 1000 further comprisesaccessing or causing to access a channel, and further comprising duringthe fraction of time reserved for a communication system based on IEEE802 including DSRC and/or ITS-G5, accessing or causing to access thechannel includes applying or causing to apply CSMA based channel access.

In some implementations, for example, the method 1000 further comprisesreceiving or causing to receive a configuration information field.

In some implementations, for example, the configuration informationfield is used to at least one of request communication resources orobtain decisions regarding when communication resources are reserved fora specific user.

In some implementations, for example, the pause period is reduced forhigh-priority messages.

In some implementations, for example, the high priority messages includemessages for avoidance of collisions or protection of life.

In some implementations, for example, the method 1000 is performed by anapparatus disposed in a vehicle, smartphone, Internet of Things devices,truck, car or bicycle.

For one or more embodiments, at least one of the components set forth inone or more of the preceding figures may be configured to perform one ormore operations, techniques, processes, and/or methods as set forth inthe example section below. For example, the baseband circuitry asdescribed above in connection with one or more of the preceding figuresmay be configured to operate in accordance with one or more of theexamples set forth below. For another example, circuitry associated witha UE, base station, network element, etc. as described above inconnection with one or more of the preceding figures may be configuredto operate in accordance with one or more of the examples set forthbelow in the example section.

FIG. 28 depicts a flow diagram of an example method 1100 of accessing acommunication frequency channel by first and second communicationsystems according to embodiments. At 1102, the method 1100 includesaccessing, by a first communication system, a communication frequencychannel during a first time interval. The first communication systemcommunicates using cellular communication technologies. At 1104, themethod 1100 includes accessing, by a second communication system, thecommunication frequency channel during a second time interval adjacentto the first time interval. The second communication system communicatesusing WLAN techniques.

In embodiments, the first communication system can be configured tocommunicate cellular communication signals during the first timeinterval. The second communication system can be configured tocommunicate WLAN communication signals during the second time interval.

In embodiments, the first communication system can be configured tocommunicate during a first set of time intervals, and the secondcommunication system can be configured to communicate during a secondset of time intervals. The first set of time intervals alternates withthe second set of time intervals such that each time interval from thefirst set of time intervals is adjacent to a time interval from thesecond set of time intervals. The first time interval is included in thefirst set of time intervals, and the second time interval is included inthe second set of time intervals.

In embodiments, the first communication system is an LTE C-V2Xcommunication system, and the second communication system is an IEEE802-based DSRC or ITS-G5 communication system.

In embodiments, the first time interval is a predetermined, fixed timeslot dedicated to the first communication system, and the second timeinterval is a predetermined, fixed time slot dedicated to the secondcommunication system.

In embodiments, the first time interval and the second time interval arepredetermined based at least in part on a level of usage of cellularcommunications and WLAN communications in a geographic area proximatethe apparatus.

In embodiments, the level of usage of cellular communications and WLANcommunications is determined based at least in part on a plurality ofresource requests from a plurality of users in the geographic areaproximate the apparatus.

In embodiments, the level of usage of cellular communications and WLANcommunications is determined based at least in part on historicalcommunication usage of the geographic area proximate the apparatus.

In embodiments, the apparatus is further configured to receive areservation request message and to identify a start of the first timeinterval based at least in part on the reservation request message.

In embodiments, the first communication system is configured to sensethat the communication frequency channel is vacant, and access thecommunication frequency channel in response to sensing that thecommunication frequency channel is vacant. The first time intervalbegins when the first communication system senses that the communicationfrequency channel is vacant.

In embodiments, the first time interval and the second time interval areseparated by a pause period.

In embodiments, the pause period is reduced for ultra-high prioritycommunications.

Examples

Example 1 may include an apparatus, comprising: means for accessing acommunication frequency channel via a first communication system whilethe channel is already in use by a second communication system, whereinthe first communication system is different from the secondcommunication system.

Example 2 may include the apparatus of example 1, and/or any otherexample herein, wherein the first communication system is one of 3GPPLTE C-V2X, 3GPP NR C-V2X or IEEE 802 based DSRC or ITS-G5 or anyrespective evolution of these systems.

Example 3 may include the apparatus of example 1, and/or any otherexample herein, wherein the second communication system is one of GPPLTE C-V2X, 3GPP NR C-V2X or IEEE 802 based DSRC or ITS-G5, or anyrespective evolution of these systems.

Example 4 may include the apparatus of example 1, and/or any otherexample herein, wherein a pre-determined fraction of time of the channelis reserved for the first communication system.

Example 5 may include the apparatus of example 1, and/or any otherexample herein, wherein a pre-determined fraction of time of the channelis reserved for the second communication system.

Example 6 may include the apparatus of example 4, and/or any otherexample herein, wherein when the fraction of time reserved for the firstcommunication system ends, then a fraction of time reserved for a secondcommunication system starts.

Example 7 may include the apparatus of example 6, and/or any otherexample herein, wherein there is a pause period between the fraction oftime reserved for the first communication system and the fraction oftime reserved for the second communication system.

Example 8 may include the apparatus of example 6, and/or any otherexample herein, wherein when the fraction of time reserved for thesecond communication system ends, then the fraction of time reserved forthe first communication system begins again.

Example 9 may include the apparatus of example 6, and/or any otherexample herein, wherein when the fraction of time reserved for a secondcommunication system ends, then the fraction of time reserved for afirst communication system begins again, with a pause period between thetwo fractions of time.

Example 10 may include the apparatus of example 6, and/or any otherexample herein, further comprising means for accessing a channel, andwherein during the fraction of time reserved for a communication systembased on IEEE 802 including DSRC and/or ITS-G5, the means for accessinga channel further comprises means for applying CSMA based channelaccess.

Example 11 may include the apparatus of example 1, and/or any otherexample herein, further comprising means for receiving a configurationinformation field.

Example 12 may include the apparatus of example 11, and/or any otherexample herein, wherein the configuration information field is used toat least one of request communication resources or obtain decisionsregarding when communication resources are reserved for a specific user.

Example 13 may include the apparatus of either of examples 7 or 9,and/or any other example herein, wherein the pause period is reduced forhigh-priority messages.

Example 14 may include the apparatus of example 13, and/or any otherexample herein, wherein the high priority messages include messages foravoidance of collisions or protection of life.

Example 15 may include the apparatus of example 1, and/or any otherexample herein, disposed in a vehicle, smartphone, Internet of Thingsdevices, truck, car or bicycle.

Example 16 may include an apparatus, to: access a communicationfrequency channel (typically of 10 MHz bandwidth) via a firstcommunication system while the channel is already in use by a secondcommunication system, wherein the first communication system isdifferent from the second communication system.

Example 17 may include the apparatus of example 16, and/or any otherexample herein, wherein the first communication system is one of 3GPPLTE C-V2X, 3GPP NR C-V2X or IEEE 802 based DSRC or ITS-G5 or anyrespective evolution of these systems.

Example 18 may include the apparatus of example 16, and/or any otherexample herein, wherein the second communication system is one of GPPLTE C-V2X, 3GPP NR C-V2X or IEEE 802 based DSRC or ITS-G5, or anyrespective evolution of these systems.

Example 19 may include the apparatus of example 16, and/or any otherexample herein, wherein a pre-determined fraction of time of the channelis reserved for the first communication system.

Example 20 may include the apparatus of example 16, and/or any otherexample herein, wherein a pre-determined fraction of time of the channelis reserved for the second communication system.

Example 21 may include the apparatus of example 19, and/or any otherexample herein, wherein when the fraction of time reserved for the firstcommunication system ends, then a fraction of time reserved for a secondcommunication system starts.

Example 22 may include the apparatus of example 21, and/or any otherexample herein, wherein there is a pause period between the fraction oftime reserved for the first communication system and the fraction oftime reserved for the second communication system.

Example 23 may include the apparatus of example 21, and/or any otherexample herein, wherein when the fraction of time reserved for thesecond communication system ends, then the fraction of time reserved forthe first communication system begins again.

Example 24 may include the apparatus of example 21, and/or any otherexample herein, wherein when the fraction of time reserved for a secondcommunication system ends, then the fraction of time reserved for afirst communication system begins again, with a pause period between thetwo fractions of time.

Example 25 may include the apparatus of example 21, and/or any otherexample herein, further to access a channel by applying CSMA basedchannel access during the fraction of time reserved for a communicationsystem based on IEEE 802 including DSRC and/or ITS-G5

Example 26 may include the apparatus of example 16, and/or any otherexample herein, further to receive a configuration information field.

Example 27 may include the apparatus of example 26, and/or any otherexample herein, wherein the configuration information field is used toat least one of request communication resources or obtain decisionsregarding when communication resources are reserved for a specific user.

Example 28 may include the apparatus of either of examples 22 or 31,and/or any other example herein, wherein the pause period is reduced forhigh-priority messages.

Example 29 may include the apparatus of example 28, and/or any otherexample herein, wherein the high priority messages include messages foravoidance of collisions or protection of life.

Example 30 may include the apparatus of example 16, and/or any otherexample herein, disposed in a vehicle, smartphone, Internet of Thingsdevices, truck, car or bicycle.

Example 31 may include a method, comprising: accessing or causing toaccess a communication frequency channel via a first communicationsystem while the channel is already in use by a second communicationsystem, wherein the first communication system is different from thesecond communication system.

Example 32 may include the method of example 31, and/or any otherexample herein, wherein the first communication system is one of 3GPPLTE C-V2X, 3GPP NR C-V2X or IEEE 802 based DSRC or ITS-G5 or anyrespective evolution of these systems.

Example 33 may include the method of example 31, and/or any otherexample herein, wherein the second communication system is one of GPPLTE C-V2X, 3GPP NR C-V2X or IEEE 802 based DSRC or ITS-G5, or anyrespective evolution of these systems.

Example 34 may include the method of example 31, and/or any otherexample herein, wherein a pre-determined fraction of time of the channelis reserved for the first communication system.

Example 35 may include the method of example 31, and/or any otherexample herein, wherein a pre-determined fraction of time of the channelis reserved for the second communication system.

Example 36 may include the method of example 34, and/or any otherexample herein, wherein when the fraction of time reserved for the firstcommunication system ends, then a fraction of time reserved for a secondcommunication system starts.

Example 37 may include the method of example 36, and/or any otherexample herein, wherein there is a pause period between the fraction oftime reserved for the first communication system and the fraction oftime reserved for the second communication system.

Example 38 may include the method of example 36, and/or any otherexample herein, wherein when the fraction of time reserved for thesecond communication system ends, then the fraction of time reserved forthe first communication system begins again.

Example 39 may include the method of example 36, and/or any otherexample herein, wherein when the fraction of time reserved for a secondcommunication system ends, then the fraction of time reserved for afirst communication system begins again, with a pause period between thetwo fractions of time.

Example 40 may include the method of example 36, and/or any otherexample herein, further comprising accessing or causing to access achannel, and further comprising during the fraction of time reserved fora communication system based on IEEE 802 including DSRC and/or ITS-G5,accessing or causing to access the channel includes applying or causingto apply CSMA based channel access.

Example 41 may include the method of example 31, and/or any otherexample herein, further comprising receiving or causing to receive aconfiguration information field.

Example 42 may include the method of example 41, and/or any otherexample herein, wherein the configuration information field is used toat least one of request communication resources or obtain decisionsregarding when communication resources are reserved for a specific user.

Example 43 may include the method of either of examples 37 or 39, and/orany other example herein, wherein the pause period is reduced forhigh-priority messages.

Example 44 may include the method of example 43, and/or any otherexample herein, wherein the high priority messages include messages foravoidance of collisions or protection of life.

Example 45 may include the method of example 31, and/or any otherexample herein, disposed in a vehicle, smartphone, Internet of Thingsdevices, truck, car or bicycle.

Example 46 includes the apparatus of examples 1-15, and/or some otherexamples herein, wherein the apparatus is implemented in or by a userequipment (UE).

Example 47 includes the apparatus of examples 16-3,0 and/or some otherexamples herein, wherein the apparatus is implemented in or by a userequipment (UE).

Example 48 includes the method of examples 31-45, and/or some otherexamples herein, wherein the method is performed by a user equipment(UE) or a portion thereof.

Example 49 may include a first communication system is accessing acommunication frequency channel (typically of 10 MHz bandwidth) while asecond communication system is already using the channel. The firstcommunication system is different from the second communication system.

Example 50 may include a first communication system is for example 3GPPLTE C-V2X, 3GPP NR C-V2X or IEEE 802 (such as IEEE 802.11p) based DSRCor ITS-G5 or any evolution of these systems. The first communicationsystem is different from the second communication system.

Example 51 may include a second communication system is for example 3GPPLTE C-V2X, 3GPP NR C-V2X or IEEE 802 (such as IEEE 802.11p) based DSRCor ITS-G5 or any evolution of these systems. The first communicationsystem is different from the second communication system.

Example 52 may include a pre-determined fraction of time of anyconcerned channel is reserved for a first communication system.

Example 53 may include a pre-determined fraction of time of anyconcerned channel is reserved for a second communication system.

Example 54 may include when the fraction of time reserved for a firstcommunication system ends, then the fraction of time reserved for asecond communication system starts.

Example 55 may include when the fraction of time reserved for a firstcommunication system ends, then the fraction of time reserved for asecond communication system starts. Optionally, there may be a pauseperiod between the two durations reserved for a first and secondcommunication system.

Example 56 may include a When the fraction of time reserved for a secondcommunication system ends, then the fraction of time reserved for afirst communication system starts.

Example 57 may include a When the fraction of time reserved for a secondcommunication system ends, then the fraction of time reserved for afirst communication system starts. Optionally, there may be a pauseperiod between the two durations reserved for a second and firstcommunication system.

Example 58 may include a The fraction of time reserved for acommunication system based on IEEE 802 (such as IEEE 802.11p) includingDSRC and/or ITS-G5 will apply CSMA based channel access in its reservedtime period.

Example 59 may include cyclically, a configuration information field issent.

Example 60 may include that the configuration information field may beaccess by a first and/or second communication system in order to requestcommunication resources and/or indicate decisions on when communicationresources are reserved for a specific user.

Example 61 may include that the AIFS period may be reduced forhigh-priority messages.

Example 62 may include that high priority messages may include messagesfor avoidance of collisions, protection of life, etc.

Example 63 may include where users may include vehicles, smartphones,IoT (Internet of Things) devices, trucks, cars, bicycles, etc.

Example 64 may include an apparatus comprising means to perform one ormore elements of a method described in or related to any of examples1-45, or any other method or process described herein.

Example 65 may include one or more non-transitory computer-readablemedia comprising instructions to cause an electronic device, uponexecution of the instructions by one or more processors of theelectronic device, to perform one or more elements of a method describedin or related to any of examples 1-45, or any other method or processdescribed herein.

Example 66 may include an apparatus comprising logic, modules, orcircuitry to perform one or more elements of a method described in orrelated to any of examples 1-45, or any other method or processdescribed herein.

Example 67 may include a method, technique, or process as described inor related to any of examples 1-45, or portions or parts thereof.

Example 68 may include an apparatus comprising: one or more processorsand one or more computer-readable media comprising instructions that,when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or moreprocessors to perform the method, techniques, or process as described inor related to any of examples 1-45, or portions thereof.

Example 69 may include a signal as described in or related to any ofexamples 1-45, or portions or parts thereof.

Example 70 may include a signal in a wireless network as shown anddescribed herein.

Example 71 may include a method of communicating in a wireless networkas shown and described herein.

Example 72 may include a system for providing wireless communication asshown and described herein.

Example 73 may include a device for providing wireless communication asshown and described herein.

Any of the above-described examples may be combined with any otherexample (or combination of examples), unless explicitly statedotherwise. The foregoing description of one or more implementationsprovides illustration and description, but is not intended to beexhaustive or to limit the scope of embodiments to the precise formdisclosed. Modifications and variations are possible in light of theabove teachings or may be acquired from practice of various embodiments.

Abbreviations

For the purposes of the present document, the following abbreviationsmay apply to the examples and embodiments discussed herein, but are notmeant to be limiting.

3GPP Third Generation Partnership Project

4G Fourth Generation

5G Fifth Generation

5GC 5G Core network

ACK Acknowledgement

AF Application Function

AM Acknowledged Mode

AMBR Aggregate Maximum Bit Rate

AMF Access and Mobility Management Function

AN Access Network

ANR Automatic Neighbour Relation

AP Application Protocol, Antenna Port, Access Point

API Application Programming Interface

APN Access Point Name

ARP Allocation and Retention Priority

ARQ Automatic Repeat Request

AS Access Stratum

ASN.1 Abstract Syntax Notation One

AUSF Authentication Server Function

AWGN Additive White Gaussian Noise

BCH Broadcast Channel

BER Bit Error Ratio

BFD Beam Failure Detection

BLER Block Error Rate

BPSK Binary Phase Shift Keying

BRAS Broadband Remote Access Server

BSS Business Support System

BS Base Station

BSR Buffer Status Report

BW Bandwidth

BWP Bandwidth Part

C-RNTI Cell Radio Network Temporary Identity

CA Carrier Aggregation, Certification Authority

CAPEX CAPital EXpenditure

CBRA Contention Based Random Access

CC Component Carrier, Country Code, Cryptographic Checksum

CCA Clear Channel Assessment

CCE Control Channel Element

CCCH Common Control Channel

CE Coverage Enhancement

CDM Content Delivery Network

CDMA Code-Division Multiple Access

CFRA Contention Free Random Access

CG Cell Group

CI Cell Identity

CID Cell-ID (e.g., positioning method)

CIM Common Information Model

CIR Carrier to Interference Ratio

CK Cipher Key

CM Connection Management, Conditional Mandatory

CMAS Commercial Mobile Alert Service

CMD Command

CMS Cloud Management System

CO Conditional Optional

CoMP Coordinated Multi-Point

CORESET Control Resource Set

COTS Commercial Off-The-Shelf

CP Control Plane, Cyclic Prefix, Connection Point

CPD Connection Point Descriptor

CPE Customer Premise Equipment

CPICH Common Pilot Channel

CQI Channel Quality Indicator

CPU CSI processing unit, Central Processing Unit

C/R Command/Response field bit

CRAN Cloud Radio Access Network, Cloud RAN

CRB Common Resource Block

CRC Cyclic Redundancy Check

CRI Channel-State Information Resource Indicator, CSI-RS ResourceIndicator

C-RNTI Cell RNTI

CS Circuit Switched

CSAR Cloud Service Archive

CSI Channel-State Information

CSI-IM CSI Interference Measurement

CSI-RS CSI Reference Signal

CSI-RSRP CSI reference signal received power

CSI-RSRQ CSI reference signal received quality

CSI-SINR CSI signal-to-noise and interference ratio

CSMA Carrier Sense Multiple Access

CSMA/CA CSMA with collision avoidance

CSS Common Search Space, Cell-specific Search Space

CTS Clear-to-Send

CW Codeword

CWS Contention Window Size

D2D Device-to-Device

DC Dual Connectivity, Direct Current

DCI Downlink Control Information

DF Deployment Flavour

DL Downlink

DMTF Distributed Management Task Force

DPDK Data Plane Development Kit

DM-RS, DMRS Demodulation Reference Signal

DN Data network

DRB Data Radio Bearer

DRS Discovery Reference Signal

DRX Discontinuous Reception

DSL Domain Specific Language. Digital Subscriber Line

DSLAM DSL Access Multiplexer

DSRC Dedicated Short-Range Communications

DwPTS Downlink Pilot Time Slot

E-LAN Ethernet Local Area Network

E2E End-to-End

ECCA extended clear channel assessment, extended CCA

ECCE Enhanced Control Channel Element, Enhanced CCE

ED Energy Detection

EDGE Enhanced Datarates for GSM Evolution (GSM Evolution)

EGMF Exposure Governance Management Function

EGPRS Enhanced GPRS

EIR Equipment Identity Register

eLAA enhanced Licensed Assisted Access, enhanced LAA

EM Element Manager

eMBB Enhanced Mobile Broadband

EMS Element Management System

eNB evolved NodeB, E-UTRAN Node B

EN-DC E-UTRA-NR Dual Connectivity

EPC Evolved Packet Core

EPDCCH enhanced PDCCH, enhanced Physical Downlink Control Cannel

EPRE Energy per resource element

EPS Evolved Packet System

EREG enhanced REG, enhanced resource element groups

ETSI European Telecommunications Standards Institute

ETWS Earthquake and Tsunami Warning System

eUICC embedded UICC, embedded Universal Integrated Circuit Card

E-UTRA Evolved UTRA

E-UTRAN Evolved UTRAN

EV2X Enhanced V2X

F1AP F1 Application Protocol

F1-C F1 Control plane interface

F1-U F1 User plane interface

FACCH Fast Associated Control CHannel

FACCH/F Fast Associated Control Channel/Full rate

FACCH/H Fast Associated Control Channel/Half rate

FACH Forward Access Channel

FAUSCH Fast Uplink Signalling Channel

FB Functional Block

FBI Feedback Information

FCC Federal Communications Commission

FCCH Frequency Correction CHannel

FDD Frequency Division Duplex

FDM Frequency Division Multiplex

FDMA Frequency Division Multiple Access

FE Front End

FEC Forward Error Correction

FFS For Further Study

FFT Fast Fourier Transformation

feLAA further enhanced Licensed Assisted Access, further enhanced LAA

FN Frame Number

FPGA Field-Programmable Gate Array

FR Frequency Range

G-RNTI GERAN Radio Network Temporary Identity

GERAN GSM EDGE RAN, GSM EDGE Radio Access Network

GGSN Gateway GPRS Support Node

GLONASS GLObal′naya NAvigatsionnaya Sputnikovaya Sistema (Engl.: GlobalNavigation Satellite System)

gNB Next Generation NodeB

gNB-CU gNB-centralized unit, Next Generation NodeB centralized unit

gNB-DU gNB-distributed unit, Next Generation NodeB distributed unit

GNSS Global Navigation Satellite System

GPRS General Packet Radio Service

GSM Global System for Mobile Communications, Groupe Special Mobile

GTP GPRS Tunneling Protocol

GTP-U GPRS Tunnelling Protocol for User Plane

GTS Go To Sleep Signal (related to WUS)

GUMMEI Globally Unique MME Identifier

GUTI Globally Unique Temporary UE Identity

HARQ Hybrid ARQ, Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request

HANDO, HO Handover

HFN HyperFrame Number

HHO Hard Handover

HLR Home Location Register

HN Home Network

HO Handover

HPLMN Home Public Land Mobile Network

HSDPA High Speed Downlink Packet Access

HSN Hopping Sequence Number

HSPA High Speed Packet Access

HSS Home Subscriber Server

HSUPA High Speed Uplink Packet Access

HTTP Hyper Text Transfer Protocol

HTTPS Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure (https is http/1.1 over SSL,i.e. port 443)

I-Block Information Block

ICCID Integrated Circuit Card Identification

ICIC Inter-Cell Interference Coordination

ID Identity, identifier

IDFT Inverse Discrete Fourier Transform

IE Information element

IBE In-Band Emission

IEEE Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

IEI Information Element Identifier

IEIDL Information Element Identifier Data Length

IETF Internet Engineering Task Force

IF Infrastructure

IM Interference Measurement, Intermodulation, IP Multimedia

IMC IMS Credentials

IMEI International Mobile Equipment Identity

IMGI International mobile group identity

IMPI IP Multimedia Private Identity

IMPU IP Multimedia PUblic identity

IMS IP Multimedia Subsystem

IMSI International Mobile Subscriber Identity

IoT Internet of Things

IP Internet Protocol

Ipsec IP Security, Internet Protocol Security

IP-CAN IP-Connectivity Access Network

IP-M IP Multicast

IPv4 Internet Protocol Version 4

IPv6 Internet Protocol Version 6

IR Infrared

IS In Sync

IRP Integration Reference Point

ISDN Integrated Services Digital Network

ISIM IM Services Identity Module

ISO International Organisation for Standardisation

ISP Internet Service Provider

IWF Interworking-Function

I-WLAN Interworking WLAN

K Constraint length of the convolutional code, USIM Individual key

kB Kilobyte (1000 bytes)

kbps kilo-bits per second

Kc Ciphering key

Ki Individual subscriber authentication key

KPI Key Performance Indicator

KQI Key Quality Indicator

KSI Key Set Identifier

ksps kilo-symbols per second

KVM Kernel Virtual Machine

L1 Layer 1 (physical layer)

L1-RSRP Layer 1 reference signal received power

L2 Layer 2 (data link layer)

L3 Layer 3 (network layer)

LAA Licensed Assisted Access

LAN Local Area Network

LBT Listen Before Talk

LCM LifeCycle Management

LCR Low Chip Rate

LCS Location Services

LCID Logical Channel ID

LI Layer Indicator

LLC Logical Link Control, Low Layer Compatibility

LPLMN Local PLMN

LPP LTE Positioning Protocol

LSB Least Significant Bit

LTE Long Term Evolution

LWA LTE-WLAN aggregation

LWIP LTE/WLAN Radio Level Integration with IPsec Tunnel

LTE Long Term Evolution

M2M Machine-to-Machine

MAC Medium Access Control (protocol layering context)

MAC Message authentication code (security/encryption context)

MAC-A MAC used for authentication and key agreement (TSG T WG3 context)

MAC-I MAC used for data integrity of signalling messages (TSG T WG3context)

MANO Management and Orchestration

MBMS Multimedia Broadcast and Multicast Service

MB SFN Multimedia Broadcast multicast service Single Frequency Network

MCC Mobile Country Code

MCG Master Cell Group

MCOT Maximum Channel Occupancy Time

MCS Modulation and coding scheme

MDAF Management Data Analytics Function

MDAS Management Data Analytics Service

MDT Minimization of Drive Tests

ME Mobile Equipment

MeNB master eNB

MER Message Error Ratio

MGL Measurement Gap Length

MGRP Measurement Gap Repetition Period

MIB Master Information Block, Management Information Base

MIMO Multiple Input Multiple Output

MLC Mobile Location Centre

MM Mobility Management

MME Mobility Management Entity

MN Master Node

MO Measurement Object, Mobile Originated

MPBCH MTC Physical Broadcast CHannel

MPDCCH MTC Physical Downlink Control CHannel

MPDSCH MTC Physical Downlink Shared CHannel

MPRACH MTC Physical Random Access CHannel

MPUSCH MTC Physical Uplink Shared Channel

MPLS MultiProtocol Label Switching

MS Mobile Station

MSB Most Significant Bit

MSC Mobile Switching Centre

MSI Minimum System Information, MCH Scheduling Information

MSID Mobile Station Identifier

MSIN Mobile Station Identification Number

MSISDN Mobile Subscriber ISDN Number

MT Mobile Terminated, Mobile Termination

MTC Machine-Type Communications

mMTC massive MTC, massive Machine-Type Communications

MU-MIMO Multi User MIMO

MWUS MTC wake-up signal, MTC WUS

NACK Negative Acknowledgement

NAI Network Access Identifier

NAS Non-Access Stratum, Non-Access Stratum layer

NCT Network Connectivity Topology

NEC Network Capability Exposure

NE-DC NR-E-UTRA Dual Connectivity

NEF Network Exposure Function

NF Network Function

NFP Network Forwarding Path

NFPD Network Forwarding Path Descriptor

NFV Network Functions Virtualization

NFVI NFV Infrastructure

NFVO NFV Orchestrator

NG Next Generation, Next Gen

NGEN-DC NG-RAN E-UTRA-NR Dual Connectivity

NM Network Manager

NMS Network Management System

N-PoP Network Point of Presence

NMIB, N-MIB Narrowband MIB

NPBCH Narrowband Physical Broadcast CHannel

NPDCCH Narrowband Physical Downlink Control CHannel

NPDSCH Narrowband Physical Downlink Shared CHannel

NPRACH Narrowband Physical Random Access CHannel

NPUSCH Narrowband Physical Uplink Shared CHannel

NPSS Narrowband Primary Synchronization Signal

NSSS Narrowband Secondary Synchronization Signal

NR New Radio, Neighbour Relation

NRF NF Repository Function

NRS Narrowband Reference Signal

NS Network Service

NSA Non-Standalone operation mode

NSD Network Service Descriptor

NSR Network Service Record

NSSAI ‘Network Slice Selection Assistance Information

S-NNSAI Single-NS SAI

NSSF Network Slice Selection Function

NW Network

NWUS Narrowband wake-up signal, Narrowband WUS

NZP Non-Zero Power

O&M Operation and Maintenance

ODU2 Optical channel Data Unit-type 2

OFDM Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing

OFDMA Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access

OOB Out-of-band

OOS Out of Sync

OPEX OPerating EXpense

OSI Other System Information

OSS Operations Support System

OTA over-the-air

PAPR Peak-to-Average Power Ratio

PAR Peak to Average Ratio

PBCH Physical Broadcast Channel

PC Power Control, Personal Computer

PCC Primary Component Carrier, Primary CC

PCell Primary Cell

PCI Physical Cell ID, Physical Cell Identity

PCEF Policy and Charging Enforcement Function

PCF Policy Control Function

PCRF Policy Control and Charging Rules Function

PDCP Packet Data Convergence Protocol, Packet Data Convergence Protocollayer

PDCCH Physical Downlink Control Channel

PDCP Packet Data Convergence Protocol

PDN Packet Data Network, Public Data Network

PDSCH Physical Downlink Shared Channel

PDU Protocol Data Unit

PEI Permanent Equipment Identifiers

PFD Packet Flow Description

P-GW PDN Gateway

PHICH Physical hybrid-ARQ indicator channel

PHY Physical layer

PLMN Public Land Mobile Network

PIN Personal Identification Number

PM Performance Measurement

PMI Precoding Matrix Indicator

PNF Physical Network Function

PNFD Physical Network Function Descriptor

PNFR Physical Network Function Record

POC PTT over Cellular

PP, PTP Point-to-Point

PPP Point-to-Point Protocol

PRACH Physical RACH

PRB Physical resource block

PRG Physical resource block group

ProSe Proximity Services, Proximity-Based Service

PRS Positioning Reference Signal

PRR Packet Reception Radio

PS Packet Services

PSBCH Physical Sidelink Broadcast Channel

PSDCH Physical Sidelink Downlink Channel

PSCCH Physical Sidelink Control Channel

PSSCH Physical Sidelink Shared Channel

PSCell Primary SCell

PSS Primary Synchronization Signal

PSTN Public Switched Telephone Network

PT-RS Phase-tracking reference signal

PTT Push-to-Talk

PUCCH Physical Uplink Control Channel

PUSCH Physical Uplink Shared Channel

QAM Quadrature Amplitude Modulation

QCI QoS class of identifier

QCL Quasi co-location

QFI QoS Flow ID, QoS Flow Identifier

QoS Quality of Service

QPSK Quadrature (Quaternary) Phase Shift Keying

QZSS Quasi-Zenith Satellite System

RA-RNTI Random Access RNTI

RAB Radio Access Bearer, Random Access Burst

RACH Random Access Channel

RADIUS Remote Authentication Dial In User Service

RAN Radio Access Network

RAND RANDom number (used for authentication)

RAR Random Access Response

RAT Radio Access Technology

RAU Routing Area Update

RB Resource block, Radio Bearer

RBG Resource block group

REG Resource Element Group

Rel Release

REQ REQuest

RF Radio Frequency

RI Rank Indicator

MV Resource indicator value

RL Radio Link

RLC Radio Link Control, Radio Link Control layer

RLC AM RLC Acknowledged Mode

RLC UM RLC Unacknowledged Mode

RLF Radio Link Failure

RLM Radio Link Monitoring

RLM-RS Reference Signal for RLM

RM Registration Management

RMC Reference Measurement Channel

RMSI Remaining MSI, Remaining Minimum System Information

RN Relay Node

RNC Radio Network Controller

RNL Radio Network Layer

RNTI Radio Network Temporary Identifier

ROHC RObust Header Compression

RRC Radio Resource Control, Radio Resource Control layer

RRM Radio Resource Management

RS Reference Signal

RSRP Reference Signal Received Power

RSRQ Reference Signal Received Quality

RSSI Received Signal Strength Indicator

RSU Road Side Unit

RSTD Reference Signal Time difference

RTP Real Time Protocol

RTS Ready-To-Send

RTT Round Trip Time

Rx Reception, Receiving, Receiver

S1AP S1 Application Protocol

S1-MME S1 for the control plane

S1-U S1 for the user plane

S-GW Serving Gateway

S-RNTI SRNC Radio Network Temporary Identity

S-TMSI SAE Temporary Mobile Station Identifier

SA Standalone operation mode

SAE System Architecture Evolution

SAP Service Access Point

SAPD Service Access Point Descriptor

SAPI Service Access Point Identifier

SCC Secondary Component Carrier, Secondary CC

SCell Secondary Cell

SC-FDMA Single Carrier Frequency Division Multiple Access

SCG Secondary Cell Group

SCM Security Context Management

SCS Subcarrier Spacing

SCTP Stream Control Transmission Protocol

SDAP Service Data Adaptation Protocol, Service Data Adaptation Protocollayer

SDL Supplementary Downlink

SDNF Structured Data Storage Network Function

SDP Service Discovery Protocol (Bluetooth related)

SDSF Structured Data Storage Function

SDU Service Data Unit

SEAF Security Anchor Function

SeNB secondary eNB

SEPP Security Edge Protection Proxy

SFI Slot format indication

SFTD Space-Frequency Time Diversity, SFN and frame timing difference

SFN System Frame Number

SgNB Secondary gNB

SGSN Serving GPRS Support Node

S-GW Serving Gateway

SI System Information

SI-RNTI System Information RNTI

SIB System Information Block

SIM Subscriber Identity Module

SIP Session Initiated Protocol

SiP System in Package

SL Sidelink

SLA Service Level Agreement

SM Session Management

SMF Session Management Function

SMS Short Message Service

SMSF SMS Function

SMTC SSB-based Measurement Timing Configuration

SN Secondary Node, Sequence Number

SoC System on Chip

SON Self-Organizing Network

SpCell Special Cell

SP-CSI-RNTI Semi-Persistent CSI RNTI

SP S Semi-Persistent Scheduling

SQN Sequence number

SR Scheduling Request

SRB Signalling Radio Bearer

SRS Sounding Reference Signal

SS Synchronization Signal

SSB Synchronization Signal Block, SS/PBCH Block

SSBRI SS/PBCH Block Resource Indicator, Synchronization Signal

Block Resource Indicator

SSC Session and Service Continuity

SS-RSRP Synchronization Signal based Reference Signal Received Power

SS-RSRQ Synchronization Signal based Reference Signal Received Quality

SS-SINR Synchronization Signal based Signal to Noise and InterferenceRatio

SSS Secondary Synchronization Signal

SSSG Search Space Set Group

SSSIF Search Space Set Indicator

SST Slice/Service Types

SU-MIMO Single User MIMO

SUL Supplementary Uplink

TA Timing Advance, Tracking Area

TAC Tracking Area Code

TAG Timing Advance Group

TAU Tracking Area Update

TB Transport Block

TBS Transport Block Size

TBD To Be Defined

TCI Transmission Configuration Indicator

TCP Transmission Communication Protocol

TDD Time Division Duplex

TDM Time Division Multiplexing

TDMA Time Division Multiple Access

TE Terminal Equipment

TEID Tunnel End Point Identifier

TFT Traffic Flow Template

TMSI Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity

TNL Transport Network Layer

TPC Transmit Power Control

TPMI Transmitted Precoding Matrix Indicator

TR Technical Report

TRP, TRxP Transmission Reception Point

TRS Tracking Reference Signal

TRx Transceiver

TS Technical Specifications, Technical Standard

TTI Transmission Time Interval

Tx Transmission, Transmitting, Transmitter

U-RNTI UTRAN Radio Network Temporary Identity

UART Universal Asynchronous Receiver and Transmitter

UCI Uplink Control Information

UE User Equipment

UDM Unified Data Management

UDP User Datagram Protocol

UDSF Unstructured Data Storage Network Function

UICC Universal Integrated Circuit Card

UL Uplink

UM Unacknowledged Mode

UML Unified Modelling Language

UMTS Universal Mobile Telecommunications System

UP User Plane

UPF User Plane Function

URI Uniform Resource Identifier

URL Uniform Resource Locator

URLLC Ultra-Reliable and Low Latency

USB Universal Serial Bus

USIM Universal Subscriber Identity Module

USS UE-specific search space

UTRA UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access

UTRAN Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network

UwPTS Uplink Pilot Time Slot

V2I Vehicle-to-Infrastruction

V2P Vehicle-to-Pedestrian

V2V Vehicle-to-Vehicle

V2X Vehicle-to-everything

VIM Virtualized Infrastructure Manager

VL Virtual Link,

VLAN Virtual LAN, Virtual Local Area Network

VM Virtual Machine

VNF Virtualized Network Function

VNFFG VNF Forwarding Graph

VNFFGD VNF Forwarding Graph Descriptor

VNFM VNF Manager

VoIP Voice-over-IP, Voice-over-Internet Protocol

VPLMN Visited Public Land Mobile Network

VPN Virtual Private Network

VRB Virtual Resource Block

WiMAX Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access

WLAN Wireless Local Area Network

WMAN Wireless Metropolitan Area Network

WPAN Wireless Personal Area Network

X2-C X2-Control plane

X2-U X2-User plane

XML eXtensible Markup Language

XRES EXpected user RESponse

XOR eXclusive OR

ZC Zadoff-Chu

ZP Zero Power

Terminology

For the purposes of the present document, the following terms anddefinitions are applicable to the examples and embodiments discussedherein, but are not meant to be limiting.

The term “circuitry” as used herein refers to, is part of, or includeshardware components such as an electronic circuit, a logic circuit, aprocessor (shared, dedicated, or group) and/or memory (shared,dedicated, or group), an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC),a field-programmable device (FPD) (e.g., a field-programmable gate array(FPGA), a programmable logic device (PLD), a complex PLD (CPLD), ahigh-capacity PLD (HCPLD), a structured ASIC, or a programmable SoC),digital signal processors (DSPs), etc., that are configured to providethe described functionality. In some embodiments, the circuitry mayexecute one or more software or firmware programs to provide at leastsome of the described functionality. The term “circuitry” may also referto a combination of one or more hardware elements (or a combination ofcircuits used in an electrical or electronic system) with the programcode used to carry out the functionality of that program code. In theseembodiments, the combination of hardware elements and program code maybe referred to as a particular type of circuitry.

The term “processor circuitry” as used herein refers to, is part of, orincludes circuitry capable of sequentially and automatically carryingout a sequence of arithmetic or logical operations, or recording,storing, and/or transferring digital data. The term “processorcircuitry” may refer to one or more application processors, one or morebaseband processors, a physical central processing unit (CPU), asingle-core processor, a dual-core processor, a triple-core processor, aquad-core processor, and/or any other device capable of executing orotherwise operating computer-executable instructions, such as programcode, software modules, and/or functional processes. The terms“application circuitry” and/or “baseband circuitry” may be consideredsynonymous to, and may be referred to as, “processor circuitry.”

The term “interface circuitry” as used herein refers to, is part of, orincludes circuitry that enables the exchange of information between twoor more components or devices. The term “interface circuitry” may referto one or more hardware interfaces, for example, buses, I/O interfaces,peripheral component interfaces, network interface cards, and/or thelike.

The term “user equipment” or “UE” as used herein refers to a device withradio communication capabilities and may describe a remote user ofnetwork resources in a communications network. The term “user equipment”or “UE” may be considered synonymous to, and may be referred to as,client, mobile, mobile device, mobile terminal, user terminal, mobileunit, mobile station, mobile user, subscriber, user, remote station,access agent, user agent, receiver, radio equipment, reconfigurableradio equipment, reconfigurable mobile device, etc. Furthermore, theterm “user equipment” or “UE” may include any type of wireless/wireddevice or any computing device including a wireless communicationsinterface.

The term “network element” as used herein refers to physical orvirtualized equipment and/or infrastructure used to provide wired orwireless communication network services. The term “network element” maybe considered synonymous to and/or referred to as a networked computer,networking hardware, network equipment, network node, router, switch,hub, bridge, radio network controller, RAN device, RAN node, gateway,server, virtualized VNF, NFVI, and/or the like.

The term “computer system” as used herein refers to any typeinterconnected electronic devices, computer devices, or componentsthereof. Additionally, the term “computer system” and/or “system” mayrefer to various components of a computer that are communicativelycoupled with one another. Furthermore, the term “computer system” and/or“system” may refer to multiple computer devices and/or multiplecomputing systems that are communicatively coupled with one another andconfigured to share computing and/or networking resources.

The term “appliance,” “computer appliance,” or the like, as used hereinrefers to a computer device or computer system with program code (e.g.,software or firmware) that is specifically designed to provide aspecific computing resource. A “virtual appliance” is a virtual machineimage to be implemented by a hypervisor-equipped device that virtualizesor emulates a computer appliance or otherwise is dedicated to provide aspecific computing resource.

The term “resource” as used herein refers to a physical or virtualdevice, a physical or virtual component within a computing environment,and/or a physical or virtual component within a particular device, suchas computer devices, mechanical devices, memory space, processor/CPUtime, processor/CPU usage, processor and accelerator loads, hardwaretime or usage, electrical power, input/output operations, ports ornetwork sockets, channel/link allocation, throughput, memory usage,storage, network, database and applications, workload units, and/or thelike. A “hardware resource” may refer to compute, storage, and/ornetwork resources provided by physical hardware element(s). A“virtualized resource” may refer to compute, storage, and/or networkresources provided by virtualization infrastructure to an application,device, system, etc. The term “network resource” or “communicationresource” may refer to resources that are accessible by computerdevices/systems via a communications network. The term “systemresources” may refer to any kind of shared entities to provide services,and may include computing and/or network resources. System resources maybe considered as a set of coherent functions, network data objects orservices, accessible through a server where such system resources resideon a single host or multiple hosts and are clearly identifiable.

The term “channel” as used herein refers to any transmission medium,either tangible or intangible, which is used to communicate data or adata stream. The term “channel” may be synonymous with and/or equivalentto “communications channel,” “data communications channel,”“transmission channel,” “data transmission channel,” “access channel,”“data access channel,” “link,” “data link,” “carrier,” “radiofrequencycarrier,” and/or any other like term denoting a pathway or mediumthrough which data is communicated. Additionally, the term “link” asused herein refers to a connection between two devices through a RAT forthe purpose of transmitting and receiving information.

The terms “instantiate,” “instantiation,” and the like as used hereinrefers to the creation of an instance. An “instance” also refers to aconcrete occurrence of an object, which may occur, for example, duringexecution of program code.

The terms “coupled,” “communicatively coupled,” along with derivativesthereof are used herein. The term “coupled” may mean two or moreelements are in direct physical or electrical contact with one another,may mean that two or more elements indirectly contact each other butstill cooperate or interact with each other, and/or may mean that one ormore other elements are coupled or connected between the elements thatare said to be coupled with each other. The term “directly coupled” maymean that two or more elements are in direct contact with one another.The term “communicatively coupled” may mean that two or more elementsmay be in contact with one another by a means of communication includingthrough a wire or other interconnect connection, through a wirelesscommunication channel or ink, and/or the like.

The term “information element” refers to a structural element containingone or more fields. The term “field” refers to individual contents of aninformation element, or a data element that contains content.

The term “SMTC” refers to an SSB-based measurement timing configurationconfigured by SSB-MeasurementTimingConfiguration.

The term “SSB” refers to an SS/PBCH block.

The term “a “Primary Cell” refers to the MCG cell, operating on theprimary frequency, in which the UE either performs the initialconnection establishment procedure or initiates the connectionre-establishment procedure.

The term “Primary SCG Cell” refers to the SCG cell in which the UEperforms random access when performing the Reconfiguration with Syncprocedure for DC operation.

The term “Secondary Cell” refers to a cell providing additional radioresources on top of a Special Cell for a UE configured with CA.

The term “Secondary Cell Group” refers to the subset of serving cellscomprising the PSCell and zero or more secondary cells for a UEconfigured with DC.

The term “Serving Cell” refers to the primary cell for a UE inRRC_CONNECTED not configured with CA/DC there is only one serving cellcomprising of the primary cell.

The term “serving cell” or “serving cells” refers to the set of cellscomprising the Special Cell(s) and all secondary cells for a UE inRRC_CONNECTED configured with CA/.

The term “Special Cell” refers to the PCell of the MCG or the PSCell ofthe SCG for DC operation; otherwise, the term “Special Cell” refers tothe Pcell.

1. An apparatus for providing vehicle-to-everything (V2X)communications, comprising: a first communication system configured toaccess a communication frequency channel during a first time interval;and a second communication system configured to access the communicationfrequency channel during a second time interval adjacent to the firsttime interval; wherein the first communication system is configured tocommunicate using cellular based communication, and the secondcommunication system is configured to communicate using an Institute ofElectrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 based communication.2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first communication system isconfigured to communicate cellular communication signals during thefirst time interval, and the second communication system is configuredto communicate IEEE 802.11 based communication signals during the secondtime interval.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the firstcommunication system is configured to communicate during a first set oftime intervals and the second communication system is configured tocommunicate during a second set of time intervals, wherein the first setof time intervals alternates with the second set of time intervals suchthat each time interval from the first set of time intervals is adjacentto a time interval from the second set of time intervals, and whereinthe first time interval is included in the first set of time intervals,and the second time interval is included in the second set of timeintervals.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first communicationsystem is an LTE C-V2X communication system, and the secondcommunication system is an IEEE 802.11 based DSRC or ITS-G5communication system.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the firsttime interval is a predetermined, fixed time slot dedicated to the firstcommunication system, and the second time interval is a predetermined,fixed time slot dedicated to the second communication system.
 6. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein the first time interval and the secondtime interval are predetermined based at least in part on a level ofusage of cellular communications and IEEE 802.11 based communications ina geographic area proximate to the apparatus.
 7. The apparatus of claim6, wherein the level of usage of cellular communications and IEEE 802.11based communications is determined based at least in part on a pluralityof resource requests from a plurality of users in the geographic areaproximate to the apparatus.
 8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein thelevel of usage of cellular communications and IEEE 802.11 basedcommunications is determined based at least in part on historicalcommunication usage of the geographic area proximate the apparatus. 9.The apparatus of claim 1, further configured to receive a reservationrequest message and to identify a start of the first time interval basedat least in part on the reservation request message.
 10. The apparatusof claim 1, wherein the first communication system is configured to:sense that the communication frequency channel is vacant; and access thecommunication frequency channel in response to sensing that thecommunication frequency channel is vacant; wherein the first timeinterval begins when the first communication system senses that thecommunication frequency channel is vacant.
 11. The apparatus of claim 1,wherein the first time interval and the second time interval areseparated by a pause period.
 12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein thepause period is reduced for ultra-high priority communications.
 13. Amethod of providing vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communications, themethod comprising: accessing, by a first communication system, acommunication frequency channel during a first time interval usingcellular communication; and accessing, by a second communication system,the communication frequency channel during a second time interval usingan Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 basedcommunication; wherein the first time interval is adjacent to the secondtime interval.
 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the firstcommunication system is configured to communicate cellular communicationsignals during the first time interval, and the second communicationsystem is configured to communicate IEEE 802.11 based communicationsignals during the second timer interval.
 15. The method of claim 13,wherein the first communication system is configured to communicateduring a first set of time intervals and the second communication systemis configured to communicate during a second set of time intervals,wherein the first set of time intervals alternate with the second set oftime intervals, wherein the first set of time intervals alternates withthe second set of time intervals such that each time interval from thefirst set of time intervals is adjacent to a time interval from thesecond set of time intervals, and wherein the first time interval isincluded in the first set of time intervals, and the second timeinterval is included in the second set of time intervals.
 16. The methodof claim 13, wherein the first communication system is an LTE C-V2Xcommunication system, and the second communication system is an IEEE802.11 based DSRC or ITS-G5 communication system.
 17. One or moreComputer-readable media (CRM) comprising instructions, upon execution ofthe instructions by one or more processors, cause the one or moreprocessors to: access, by a first communication system, a communicationfrequency channel during a first time interval using cellularvehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication; and access, by a secondcommunication system, the communication frequency channel during asecond time interval using an Institute of Electrical and ElectronicsEngineers (IEEE) 802.11 based V2X communication; wherein the first timeinterval is adjacent to the second time interval.
 18. The one or moreCRM of claim 17, wherein the first time interval is a predetermined,fixed time slot dedicated to the first communication system, and thesecond time interval is a predetermined, fixed time slot dedicated tothe second communication system.
 19. The one or more CRM of claim 17,wherein the first time interval and the second time interval arepredetermined based at least in part on a level of usage of cellularcommunications and IEEE 802.11 based communications in a geographic areaproximate the first and second communication systems.
 20. The one ormore CRM of claim 17, wherein the instructions further cause the one ormore processors to: sense that the communication frequency channel isvacant; and access, by the first communication system, the communicationfrequency channel in response to sensing that the communicationfrequency channel is vacant; wherein the first time interval begins whenthe first communication system senses that the communication frequencychannel is vacant.